Finding Leigh: Dark Horse Inc. Book 3

by Amy J. Hawthorn

  Heaven help me.

  Taking the bull by the horns, she stood and held out her hand. His dark eyes met hers full of barely banked curiosity. “Come on, rich boy. Show me around.” Without hesitation, he stood and took her hand.

  “Yes, ma’am.” His grip sure and strong, he led her out of the barn.

  “Tell me all about your grand plan.”

  “Which one? Work? Addie? Or...”

  “All of them. Aren’t they intertwined?”

  He stopped and faced her. “Very much so.”

  Unable to resist, she poked him in the chest. “Then start there.”

  “Okay. If it’s all so simple, then. Sure.” Then he did. With the bright moon lighting their way, they strolled through the night. They held hands as they walked around three of the barns. Even as he downplayed the genius of it all, his vision stunned her.

  Then she laughed. “You forgot one thing.”

  “I did?” Shocked, he turned to her.

  “Yes. Sleep. You’ll need to sleep, like maybe once a week. You might want to squeeze that in there somewhere.” They’d made their way back to the patio, where their night began.

  His wry grin made her heart flutter. “Maybe. I’ll make a note of it.”

  “Be sure that you do.” Unexpected, her next words slipped out, her tone lighthearted, but her words held deeper meaning. “You’ll need a keeper.” She hadn’t intended to just throw her decision out there so blithely, but there it was. She leaned against her post, but this time she focused on him instead of the tree.

  He was her tree, her future. When the truth of it settled inside her, it bloomed to life, vivid and real.

  “Leigh. If I’m going to do this, if I have someone important in my life, she needs to be someone who understands why each part of my life is there and its importance. No single part is more vital than another.” He cupped her jaw. “I can’t think of any woman who fits that role better than you. I don’t know that I can do it all alone.”

  “You could, I know it, but you shouldn’t have to.”

  Palming her waist, he pulled her close. He touched his forehead to hers then, as if fighting some internal battle, he tilted his head and brushed his cheek against hers. She put her hands on his shoulders. Hands rubbed up her sides and down. His heavy sigh signaled he’d come to a decision.

  She wished she knew what thoughts tormented him. His breath sighed over her mouth as he brushed his forehead over hers. Tightly sealing his lips, he closed his eyes. Coiled tension vibrated through the muscles of his chest.

  Then the obvious conclusion finally hit her. He wanted her and fought against his desire. Part of him demanded he behave like a gentleman while the other half battled for what it wanted. Craved.

  He needed her.

  She was more than happy to help him with that problem.

  Taking his face in her hands, she crushed her mouth to his. His hold on her waist tightened into a hard, desperate, branding grip. She loved it.

  Fuck me, she’s sweet.

  The power of Leigh’s honeyed mouth could bring him to his knees. The urge to lift her, wrap her legs around his waist and take her against the wall beat at him. The promise he’d made himself at the evening’s start held him back, but when her slender fingers tangled in the material of his shirt, his will crumpled like a paper cup.

  Tearing his mouth from hers, he drew on his last vapors of resolve. “Leigh, sweetheart. Stop.”

  She licked up the column of his throat. He felt her throaty, sexy reply deep in his balls. “Stop? Why?”

  “I…I’m not sure I can control myself if you don’t stop. I’m trying to be patient. Understanding.” As he stared into her lovely eyes, something tugged his shirt free from his pants.

  She’s going to be the death of me.

  Trapped by the beauty of her gaze, he couldn’t move. A fingernail scraped over the skin of his lower abdomen. She leaned in closer and whispered into his ear, “You mean act like a responsible adult male?”

  “Yeah. That.” He swallowed and closed his eyes. The tugging at his shirt continued, gradually rising as she undid the buttons.

  “Why would you want to do something like that?” She nipped his earlobe.

  Why? Why what? He couldn’t remember his own name, let alone follow a conversation with her devious fingers and mouth wreaking havoc with his senses. His libido fought to break free of the cage he’d forced it into.

  Lust fueled the fire in his blood. “Leigh. You can’t touch me. I want you too badly. I’m trying to not be an asshole.” He prayed she saw reason and put an end to his torture.

  Another nip at his ear. His shirt fell open. Two fingers walked down from one pectoral muscle.

  “What if I want you just as badly?”

  The air in his chest fled in one sudden rush. She wouldn’t tease him. Even as he knew that as truth, as desperate as he was, he couldn’t help but cringe at the thought. His one word response was more growling, hungry animal than human. “Leigh…”

  She met his rabid beast with a sweet, sensual siren. “Rick.”

  He couldn’t take it any longer. “Come on.” He took her hand, intertwined their fingers and drew her around and back into the night.

  She laughed even as her long legs struggled to keep up.

  “I don’t see what’s so funny.” Impatient, he glared over his shoulder. He chanced another glance, half-afraid his surliness might turn her off or worse, scare her away.

  Her smile, brighter than the moon, lit up the night. “You’re about to seal the deal. What’s made you so mean?”

  “My house is too fucking big. Who the hell wants to walk a mile to get to the guest wing?” They came to the smaller patio that backed up to three of his guest bedrooms in the wing opposite the one where they had their rooms. The mood he was in, he couldn’t trust himself to be quiet.

  And if Leigh remained quiet, then he’d didn’t know what the hell he was doing.

  He pulled his phone from his pocket and accessed his security system. Praying he chose the room he’d had furnished in case a team member needed a place to rest, he used the custom-made app to unlock the closest door. He listened for the quiet whir signaling the lock disengaged. It was a wonder he didn’t break the handle as he pushed it open.

  Leigh, right on his heels, followed. He wrapped one arm around her waist, pulled her against him then slammed the door.

  Her hands tangled in his hair. Their mouths met in a fiery kiss. Lips merged, tongues flirted, danced. When her fingernails scraped the flesh just below his navel, he groaned. Her tongue swirled with his and his already swollen cock hardened.

  His hands slid from her hips, back to palm the curves of her ass. Pulling her softness flush against his body, he tore his mouth free and swore.

  Angry at the delay, but needing more, he broke away. “Too many layers. Clothes off.” Desperate to feel the heat of her flesh against his, he yanked his shirt free. One loud thud sounded, echoing in the near empty room, as one shoe hit the ground. The second one followed as he pried it free with his other foot. Wanting to see everything, he impatiently flipped on a single light switch, filling the room with a soft glow. Far from fully furnished, the room held the one item he needed most. A mattress and box springs waited in the middle of the room. Good enough.

  He fumbled with his belt, racing to get free. Eager, hungry, he pulled down his pants and underwear and sat on the mattress. He pulled everything free all in one go.

  Looking up, he found Leigh, unbuttoning her blouse, a wicked smile lighting her face. Impatient, afraid to blink, he watched, torn.

  Did he rip the clothes from her body, revealing the beauty hidden beneath, or wait and watch, rapt as she uncovered a little piece of heaven at a time? Either way, he’d die a happy man. Somehow, impossibly, his cock tightened further at thought of sinking into her delicious body, driving into her slick heat.

  Oh shit, no. A sudden chilling thought threw cold water onto his lust driven dream.

  “
Damn it. Leigh, I don't have any protection with me. I didn’t plan on things going this far. Never imagined that I’d be so fortunate. I’m sorry I’m not better prepared.”

  Her features softened. “I’m on the pill. Long story, but I’m protected.” The siren appeared, all sex and sin. “As long as you’re clean, you get a green light.”

  He nearly swallowed his tongue.

  “Uh. Yeah. I’m good. I mean, I’m clean. Actually, it’s been a long time for me. Too damn busy.”

  “Then do your worst, big boy.”

  “Sweetheart, be careful what you ask for.” His joy broke free and he grinned.

  She finally, finally, dropped her blouse to the floor, revealing a lacy bra. He barely had time to appreciate it before the lace followed, landing on the blouse. Fire flashed in his blood.

  Standing, unable to wait any longer, he hooked his hands in the waistband of her skirt. “Lose it or it won’t survive another two seconds.”

  “It just slides down. Go ahead.”

  So, he did. Sliding his hands over her ass, he pushed the skirt over her slender curves until it met the tangle of clothes on the floor.

  He stepped back to admire the view. She stood before him in nothing but a tiny scrap of lace, utterly gorgeous. His heart jumped and lodged in his throat.

  She hooked her thumbs in the sides of her panties, shimmied, then removed them.

  He drew in a single, slow, deep breath. “Come here.” He crooked his finger. He’d never had such dominant, overbearing tendencies in the bedroom before, but with Leigh, he couldn’t stop himself.

  Something about her—her beauty, the sweetness coupled with sass—made him lose all sense of fairness. Forget chivalry, she turned him into a testosterone driven, starving caveman.

  She answered his call and moved into his space. He might call the shots, but she had him eating out of the palm of her hand. Unable to wait a moment longer, he cupped her nape and crushed his mouth to hers. Eager, hungry, she matched his lust. Knowing that she craved him as much as he needed her only added fuel to the fire raging through his blood.

  Hands caressed, mouths danced, breaths merged until every cell in his body came alive, yearning for Leigh. A contagious, ravenous desire consumed them.

  Finally, able to do something he’d dreamt about for months, he lifted her by the hips and wrapped her legs around his waist. When the heat of her wet sex touched his abdomen, he swore. His cocked bucked. A precious burden he’d never grow tired of, he savored the weight of her in his arms.

  He tumbled them to their sides on the mattress. In a mindless euphoric haze, they gave to and took from each other. Desperate, he moved down her body, reveling in the beauty of her honeyed flesh. He stopped at her breasts. He latched onto one beaded nipple and sucked the tight tip deeper into his mouth. Lavishing attention to the soft mounds, he wanted to gauge her every response but every sigh and moan fractured his focus. When he drew deeply on the hard, silken peak, she whimpered and bucked her hips.

  With urgent, demanding, desire riding him, he cursed. There wasn’t enough time in the world to explore and worship her the way she deserved.

  He hooked one long leg over his arm and admired the sexy, hungry angel waiting beneath him. With his other hand, he found her wet, slick and ready. He notched the head of his cock into her heat. The last straw, her fingernails dug tightly into his shoulders urging him on. On a slow, sure plunge, he moved. Hot, slick, bliss gloved him.

  A wicked grin spread across her face as she tangled the fingers of one hand in the hair at his nape. Do your worst, big boy. Fucking hell.

  So be it.

  Holding the smooth flesh of her ass in one palm, he slid out, the torture a delicious rasp over his hypersensitive cock. He returned her suggestive grin with his own. He readied to thrust again, but paused, caught by the beauty of her green eyes. “Leigh. I don’t have the words.” How did he define something so deep that it defied explanation?

  She cupped his jaw. “We don’t need words.” Then she kissed him silly. They waged a mad, passionate battle, dueling until neither of them could breathe. He tore his mouth from hers, gulped for air, then slammed home.

  Holding her in place, fucking into her, he drove them both to the edge of madness. Her short breaths came in faster pants. Her grin morphed into a mask of ecstasy as she arched, stretching her torso, unconsciously putting her gorgeous breasts on display. They bobbed with each hard slam. Fingers tightened on his shoulder and at the hair at his nape.

  Rocking into her again and again, the rasping burn of pleasure maddened him, obliterating his composure. He pounded into her heat, watched the soft beauty of her eyes, and finally knew the meaning of home.

  Her body tightened its hold on him. “Come on, baby. Give it to me,” he whispered. “Let me have it.”

  She wrapped her other leg around his waist and held him closer. Breathing into each other, absorbing each other, they crested ever higher. Leigh’s ragged breath hitched and her spine bowed as she cried out her release. Her body clenched his, squeezing, holding, giving him impossibly more pleasure than he’d given hers. Light exploded behind his eyes. Leigh’s body milked him dry and filled with him ecstasy. Gasping, shuddering, they clutched each other and rode out the storm of passion.

  Using the last of his strength, he rolled onto his back. She rested her head on his chest and heaved a content sigh. He smoothed a damp tendril of hair from her temple and kissed the smooth skin.

  She returned his gesture by kissing his sternum, right above his thudding heart. Her quiet words stole his breath and sealed his fate. “I feel as though I’ve waited my entire life for this.”

  “Me too.” He grasped her jaw and tilted her chin until she faced him. He stared into the spring green light of her eyes. “Me too, Leigh. All my life.” Then he went about stealing the breath she’d barely begun to recover.

  Chapter 17

  Leigh walked past Rick’s dark office and paused midstride. A quick glance revealed that he sat at his desk.

  Again.

  She’d just seen the time on the microwave clock a few moments ago when she’d made herself a cup of tea. It was a few minutes after midnight.

  With his brow furrowed, head resting in one hand, he stared at his computer monitor. His face was masked in pale blue light as he frowned at whatever the screen displayed.

  Or maybe he scowled at what it didn’t show him? The search for answers continued to eat at him. She couldn’t imagine the pressure he’d put himself under as time dragged on. He continued to blame himself for their trouble. She hadn’t been able to figure out if it was only his deep sense of responsibility and honor, or if there was far more than she was aware of.

  Changing course, she entered the office. He didn’t even notice as she walked up to the side of his desk. She picked up a cup of cold coffee then set it on an empty book shelf with her tea. His eyes flickered, following the movement of the mug, reminding her of a hungry animal watching food being removed from its cage. She sat in the cup’s former spot on the desk. “Hey.”

  He blinked. Then he blinked a second time. Slowly, life seemed to return to his body as he focused on her.

  He scrubbed both hands through his thick, messy hair then finally responded. “Hey.”

  She poked him hard in the shoulder with a finger.

  “Ow.” He frowned and rubbed the spot. “What’s that for? Sadist.”

  “Just checking. I wanted to make sure you were still alive. We didn’t see much of you today, and it’s getting late. Maybe you should take a break and look at things with a fresh eye in the morning.” They’d seen so little of him that day, she’d briefly worried if he’d had second thoughts about the night before. Doubt had threatened to steal her happy glow, but she squashed it flat. She knew better. He wasn’t intentionally putting space between them.

  He was in work mode.

  “I’m fine. I’ll say goodnight to Addie in a few minutes then maybe spend a little longer going over everything. I just wa
nt to look over everything one more time.”

  “Rick, it’s after midnight. Addie has been in bed for almost two hours. You told her goodnight when she brought you a bowl of ice cream.” She pointed to a bowl half full of melted strawberries and cream on the opposite side of the desk. “You’ve gone over everything you have a hundred times. If you had what you needed, I have every confidence you would have seen it by now.”

  He leaned back in his chair and stretched his shoulders and back, reminding her of a great cat, waking early, flexing its muscles, and preparing for the day’s hunt.

  “Shit. Sorry. I’m missing something, I keep hoping that if I look at the pieces in a new light, I'll figure out what I'm missing. Getting frustrated that he’s gotten one over on me doesn't help. I can’t let our past cloud what’s happening now.”

  There was that vague reference was again. Rick and Marcus had some sort of history. Could she get him to confide in her? It couldn’t hurt to get him to talk about it, could it? She shook her head in frustration. “Driving yourself headfirst into a grave won’t help anyone.”

  She went to the small fridge in the corner and got him a bottle of water. “Here. Drink. Flush some of that coffee out.” She stood behind him and snuck her hands beneath the collar of his shirt. Tension knotted the already hard muscles in his neck and shoulders. She gently rubbed and massaged, hoping to ease at least a small portion of his stress. “How long have you and Marcus known each other?”

  He dropped his head and groaned, the sound one of half pleasure, half misery. He’d probably been at his desk at least eighteen hours, if not longer. After a moment, he finally answered. “Since I was eleven years old. He’d just turned nine.” There was something in his tone that warned her she wasn’t going to like this story, but she knew that it was an important part of his life and their current conflict. She’d suspected that something significant lurked in their past, but would have never guessed that their history went back as far as childhood.