Her orgasm struck with the impact of a tidal wave, washing over and through her. She screamed as shards of electrical pulses ripped through her body jerking her in all directions. Clancy’s name slipped out on another wave of sensation, before someone groaned.
Clancy? Ty?
Who the hell cared? Not her. Instead she was consumed by the strength and force of the earth-shattering climax. The slapping of skin against skin, pounding impacts from the front and back, made her heart feel like it would jump from her chest. A muffled sob escaped her trembling lips.
As if it were choreographed, Clancy released a throaty growl and went rigid. Ty followed in his footsteps. Both their cocks jerked several times, the feeling unbelievable, and then they stilled.
After a moment Ty collapsed on top of her. For several heartbeats they lay like a big pile of puppies, before he moaned softly and rolled off her, but not before kissing her cheek.
Sprawling on his back, he threw an arm over his eyes as if to shade them. “Damn, baby. You’re unbelievable.”
Clancy remained quiet. Instead he tightened his hold around her. And God help her. It felt right, so right.
Sparks of desire continued to dance across Clancy’s skin. His pulse had yet to ease its erratic pace, while his arms wouldn’t release Tess even if he wanted. At the moment he had climaxed, he had been unconscious of the external world. Nothing and no one existed but the two of them. In a matter of seconds, what had been the most exhilarating moment had became the most consuming peace. One he had never felt before.
Hell. He had even lost sight of Ty fucking her from behind.
The thought of his friend lying beside them made Clancy tense. Then Tess squirmed, reminding him that his flaccid dick was still inside her. Nestled atop him, she rested her head against his chest as if they had been in this intimate position a million times before.
Smoothing his palm over her ass, before tracing a path along her spine, he speared his fingers into her silky hair, bringing a fist full of it to his nose. He breathed the fruity fragrance, finding it intoxicating, a scent he would never forget—like this woman.
From out of nowhere a strange wave of emotions swept over him, catching him unaware. He froze, unable to move.
Clancy didn’t want this woman for just a frivolous affair. He wanted her here, in his bed, his home and his life. He had never thought of a woman in that vein. The recognition rattled and confused him. Sex had always been about sex, never about forever. It should have been no different with Tess, but dammit it was.
Shaken, Clancy released his hold on her. He didn’t want Tess or Ty realizing his discomfort, but he had to get away, needed some time to think about what was going on with him.
Clancy eased out from beneath her. Her eyes were still closed as she snuggled against his pillow like a kitten, hugging it before she released a soft purr of contentment. When she inhaled, smiled and buried deeper within his pillow, he knew she found his scent pleasant and for some reason that thrilled and scared him.
Moving to the edge of the bed, he continued to watch her. Her breasts were full, nipples tight and erect, and her lips were kiss-swollen. Clancy leaned forward and licked the tender area of her throat where her pulse beat, loving the salty taste, before he realized what he’d done. A half-assed chuckle filled with reproach slipped quietly from his mouth. But not silent enough that Ty didn’t adjust his arm and peer out at him with one eye.
Fuck. Quickly getting to his feet, Clancy padded across the room to the bathroom, not bothering to shut the door behind him.
Resting his hands on the edge of the sink, he stared into the mirror. What the hell is happening to me? He was a man destined to be alone and here he was playing with fire.
Without a second thought, he turned on the faucet and began to splash cold water on his face, but it didn’t make him feel better. Whatever fancy he had with Tess had to be squelched and fast.
After removing the condom, he flushed it down the commode and then cleaned up. Anxiety crawled like bugs across his skin. He rolled his shoulders, attempting to relax, failing, but what the hell. In a last-ditch effort, he ran his fingers through his hair, took a deep breath and exited, but not before mentally putting on a coat of swaggering courage.
“Thirsty?” Yeah! To his ears he sounded pretty normal, if not just a little cocky, and why shouldn’t he be? Tess had completely lost control in his arms. Yeah. He was feeling a little better.
Ty sat up, pushing to his feet. “I could use a beer.” He headed to the bathroom.
Clancy glanced at Tess.
Frowning, she gazed up at the ceiling. “What are those for?” She was looking at a set of D-rings used for various activities, which included ropes and chains.
“Those are for another time.” Ty’s muffled voice came from the bathroom.
“Uh. Boys, there won’t be another time.” Tess pulled the dark burgundy comforter up, hiding behind it like it was a shield.
“What?” Ty stuck his head from around the door. He disappeared for only a second, before he strutted into the room.
“I…well…”
“What she’s trying to say is she’s afraid our tainted reputation will sully hers.” Okay. So maybe Clancy was speaking about himself, his family’s dark history. Still, speaking the truth hurt more than it should have. It wasn’t the first time he’d got tangled up with a woman too good for him.
Clancy knew he was right when she had the good sense to blush. Anger and shame collided like freight trains smashing head on inside him. Heat traveled from his neck to his ears, stinging them, the burn driving his hand up to rub the back of his neck.
This fuckin’ sucks. His chest tightened. No matter how difficult it was for him to admit, Tess would be better off if they made a quick, clean break.
“It’s not that,” she insisted, but the pink in her cheeks deepened. “It’s my brother, sisters, my job. I can’t be—”
“—associated with our kind.” Clancy finished her statement with a little more bite in his tone than he had expected.
Tess flinched.
Silently cursing himself, he turned his back to her momentarily and walked into the closet, needing once again to have space between them. Clancy hadn’t meant to snap at her. He was mad at himself for letting things get so out of control.
Dammit. Why hadn’t he kept his hands in his pockets?
When he yanked a pair of jeans off a hanger, the support flew across the walk-in area, striking the wall. Shit. Now it would sound as if he were throwing things around, having a temper tantrum. Dejected, he crammed one leg into the pants, and then the other, pulling them up his hips. He didn’t bother fastening them as he returned to face the music.
Tess hadn’t moved from the bed. She still gripped the comforter to her chest, her disquiet unnerving, until she spoke.
“About Saturday—”
“I said I’d help you.”
Her mouth snapped shut, her eyes widening in surprise.
Clancy briefly closed his eyes, wishing he’d just kept his mouth shut. No matter how he felt, she was his neighbor—neighbors helped each other and she needed his assistance.
Ty glanced toward Clancy. “Saturday?”
“Tess and her brother are new to ranching, as well as raising and breeding cattle. I suggested that they take a look at your setup this weekend. Meant to mention it tonight, but things—” He shrugged. “Your family built your ranch from the ground up, while I inherited mine.” Why did that sound like an apology?
The Petersons’ ranch worked to support itself, while he had unlimited funds to run his. He could take a drought or disease and work through them, while Ty’s family had to accommodate for Murphy’s Law’s occasional visits.
“I have some ideas I’ll share with them when they come to my place.”
“Sure.” Ty slid his gaze to Tess. “That is, as long as that brother of yours keeps his hands to himself.” He winked at her, lightening the moment. “What time would be good for you?”<
br />
Before Tess answered, Clancy darted for the door. “I’ll get us those beers.” When he entered the hall, he took a calming breath. Blowing it out, he headed for the kitchen.
Wedging the refrigeration open, he grabbed three beers. He was popping the top on one when Ty entered the room, dressed in jeans.
“Make that two. She’s gone.”
Clancy silently nodded, handing Ty a frosty bottle.
The man took a long pull of the beer, and then leaned against the sink counter. “So…”
Pressure released, a slow hiss, as Clancy twisted the top off his drink. He tipped the bottle to his lips, spilling the rich amber into his mouth and down his parched throat, before he responded.
“What?”
“Man. That was so not like you. What’s going on?”
Stabbing his fingers through his hair, he remained quiet. What the hell was he supposed to say, that within a week he had fallen for a woman who could never be his? That he wished he came from different stock? That if he could he’d wrap his arms around Tess and never let her go? Nah.
“You know.” Clancy casually propped a shoulder against the cool refrigerator and took another drink. “Bad week.”
From the skeptical gleam in Ty’s eyes, Clancy figured he wasn’t fooling anyone but himself.
Chapter Ten
Gray clouds crowded the moon. A slight drizzle fell upon Tess, the clean scent of rain rushing over her as she climbed into her car seeking shelter and warmth and maybe even escape. Slamming the door shut, she closed her eyes and sat quietly behind the steering wheel. Tears of regret swelled, threatening to break through the impenetrable wall of determination she had erected when she walked out of Clancy’s house. It didn’t matter what or who she wanted. She had to think of Rose, Rachel and Levi first and foremost.
Her eyelids rose on a curse. “Shit!” Her palm struck the wheel, hard, sending a sting through her hand. She hadn’t resolved the one thing she had set out to do tonight—find out what happened to Levi. The only thing she had accomplished was pissing off the one person who could help her.
She shook her head discouragingly.
How could she blame Clancy for his incriminating glare or his harsh tone? She had insulted him and his friend. To make it worse, she had taken what they had to offer and then threw their infamous reputation back in their face. A caustic laugh burst from her mouth. She was no better than them, because she enjoyed every single second. In fact, her body still hummed from their touch, their kisses. They had loved her so completely, so thoroughly, she couldn’t have asked for anything more, except perhaps another go at it. One thing she knew for sure, tonight would be one night she would never forget.
Switching the key on, she started the engine, not hesitating to cram it into gear. But as she pulled out of the drive, she looked back in the rearview mirror. Clancy stood on the porch cast in bright light as if he were an avenging angel, one who saw her for what she really was—a fraud.
Before her parents had been killed, she had it all—parties, travel, friends and plenty of men in her life. Not to mention sex, until that fateful night when her existence changed forever. Now there were three other people who counted on her, needed and depended upon her. A tear rolled down her cheek and she swiped it away, sucking in an unsteady breath.
Glancing at the clock radio on the dashboard as she maneuvered the car down her drive, she noted it was two o’clock in the morning. Why hadn’t she just stayed home?
The lights were still on in the living room when she climbed out of the car. Through the closed curtains she saw a shadow moving about. Quickly, she headed for the door, finding it unlocked. Pushing it open, she stepped inside to find Levi sitting on the coach, his head bowed, resting in his palms. When he heard her, he glanced her way.
“I really screwed up,” he moaned.
Tess hung her keys on the board and walked to the sofa, taking a seat beside him. “Why?”
“I don’t know.” He shunned direct eye contact with her. “Guess, I needed to unwind.”
“Levi, don’t lie to me. This isn’t the first time.”
“Fuck.”
She raised a brow. No. Unlike an ostrich with its head in the sand hiding from the truth, Tess knew her brother cursed, but he had never done so in front of her.
“What’s going on?” The need to take him into her arms, console him, rose, but she kept her distance. Levi had to realize how his actions affected the entire family. She also didn’t want to give the impression she condoned what he’d done.
“Tess, you need me here—not at college.” Even through red eyes she could see how desperately he wanted to remain home and work the ranch. A ranch that may not be as productive as they had first envisioned.
“We’ve talked about this. You need an education for this to work. If something goes wrong with the ranch, we need backup. Your education will provide that.”
Tess couldn’t help wondering what had happened to push him to the breaking point. The thought had just slipped through her mind when he dug into his pocket and pulled out a crumpled envelope. Silently, he handed it to her.
When she saw Rice University on the outside of the envelope, her gaze rose to meet Levi’s. Goose bumps raced across her skin. “Really?”
Levi nodded.
This time she let her emotions have rein. Tears of pride swelled and fell. “Dad—” She choked, then with trembling hands retrieved the enclosed letter of acceptance. “It was his dream that you attend the same college he did.”
“I know.” But there was no enthusiasm in her brother’s voice.
That’s when Tess realized how much pressure Levi must be under. The pain in his eyes confirmed it, before he looked away.
“It—” The word caught in his throat.
“It was Dad’s dream—not yours.”
He nodded.
Tess placed her hand on his shoulder and felt the tremor that assailed him. He was crying—her brother who had been so strong during the death of their parents, was bawling like a baby.
She sucked in a shuddering breath as a sob slipped out. “Oh God, Levi. I’m so sorry.” He had to be torn between wanting one thing, while also wanting to fulfill their father’s dream. Not unlike the responsibility that weighed so heavily on her. Her parents had expected her to step in if something ever happened to them, to protect Rose, Rachel and Levi, and to ensure that each of them received a good education.
Wrapping her arms around him, she pressed her cheek against his back. Together they wept for their parents, their lonely lives, and the losses that just seemed to keep coming.
When their tears began to lighten, she squeezed him. “We’ll work this out, but you have to make me a promise.”
He turned in her arms. “What?”
“No more drinking. Levi—” She bit her bottom lip, fighting for control. When she spoke again, her voice dipped into a whisper. “I can’t lose you.”
He stood up, taking her with him, before pulling her into his embrace. “You won’t lose me, Tess. I promise.”
Tess looked up through a veil of tears. “Still, I want to hear you say you won’t drink.”
“I won’t.”
She frowned, stepping out of his arms. “Levi?”
“Dammit, Tess.” He rubbed his chin. “Everyone does it.”
“Noooo.” She strung out the word. “Every underage person doesn’t drink.” She folded her arms across her chest as she pinned him with a glare.
He released an exasperated breath. “All right. I won’t drink.”
“That includes drugs.”
His eyes widened in disbelief. “Tess!”
“I know. I’m just covering all the possibilities, closing any loopholes you might be intrigued to investigate.”
Again, he shook his head. “I can’t believe you even thought I’d do something like that.”
“I never thought I’d have our next-door neighbor hauling your drunken ass home. Which reminds me, what was this fighting a
ll about?”
“It was just a misunderstanding.”
She knew her skeptical expression hit its mark when Levi blushed and a sheepish grin crept across his face.
“Uhhh. I was sort of hitting on some guy’s woman.”
“And Ty Peterson?”
“Well, I might have told him that his sister was hot.”
“Oh, Levi.” Broken laughter followed. She dropped her arms to her sides. Girls. She really didn’t want to deal with this.
“Well, she is. Prettiest little gal in San Antonio.”
“Fine, but if you want to keep your head on your shoulders you might think of staying away from her. We have an appointment to tour the Peterson’s ranch on Saturday and I expect you be a perfect gentleman.”
“Saturday? How did you manage that?” He paused, a scowl wrinkling his forehead as he glanced at the wall clock. “It’s almost two forty-five. Where have you been, Tess?”
This time it was her turn to blush. Heat skipped across her cheeks. “Trying to find out what happened to you.”
“That doesn’t answer my question.”
Defensively, she pressed her palms to her hips. “I was paving the way for visits to the Petersons and Wisemans.” Okay, maybe that wasn’t exactly what she was doing. “What do you think I was doing? I went to Clancy’s to apologize and find out more of what happened tonight, but it seems he had no idea.”
Levi gave her a suspicious once-over. “The conversation could have waited until the morning.”
“Technically it is morning.”
“You know what I mean.”
“Yeah. I do. And if we don’t get some sleep, neither of us will be any good to anyone tomorrow. So get!”
He hesitated and she could see questions building in his foggy head. “How long were you at Wiseman’s?”
“Levi, get your butt up those stairs.”
As she watched him walk away swaying, she couldn’t help wondering what would have happened if Clancy hadn’t been there to rescue her brother.
Bound by an Angel Page 9