by Taylor Lee
Long after he’d entered her, taking her to unimaginable heights and filling her in ways she hadn’t known were possible, she lay wrapped in his strong arms, too moved to speak. In soft murmurs, he told her that he hadn’t known a woman he’d wanted more than he wanted her, how beautiful she was and how wonderfully exasperating. She fell into a deep sleep, his soothing words fighting with her passionate body-shaking tremors that seemed as though they would never stop. Only his arms tight around her convinced her that she wouldn’t shatter.
Hearing his voice change, his tone become sharper, she realized that he was talking to someone other than her. Pressing up against him, she heard him say, “What happened? How did she do it? Are Brooke and Hunter . . . All right, fine. Get the Gulfstream ready. I’ll be there within the hour.”
Tara moved closer to the man who’d taken her places she didn’t know existed. In the midst of her erotic adventure, she truly didn’t know whether he was real. Or if she was in a torrid dream that would have been a nightmare if it wasn’t so stunningly erotic. His arms tightened around her as he tipped up her chin, forcing her to meet his intense gaze.
“Dammit, Tara. I would as soon shoot myself than tell you that we need to go.”
Trying to understand what he was saying, which was challenging because she barely knew where she was, he added, “Sweetheart, there’s been an emergency. It’s my family. I’m sorry, but we—I—need to leave.”
Forcing herself to come to her senses, Tara acknowledged that he’d unwound himself from her embrace and she was alone in the enormous bed. In what was a few minutes but seemed like a lifetime, he was beside her. His voice was soft, concerned. “Here, honey, let me clean you off. Damn, you are covered with remnants of me . . . and with impossibly sexy remnants of you.” As he dragged the warm washcloth over her breasts and then across her stomach and between her legs, he laughed softly. “We would never make it down the highway smelling like we do, Tara. If the wild animals didn’t get us, your father’s police force might. After responding to the calls from neighbors indicating that a sexual orgy had taken place and the randy participants were fleeing, leaving their erotic smells in their wakes.”
Not knowing when, if ever, she would regain her senses or her equilibrium, Tara allowed him to wash her off like a small child who played too hard and was exhausted from the effort. At some point as they roared down the narrow road, she began to shake off her torpor. But it was when he pulled up in front of her modest home that she came to attention. It occurred to her that he hadn’t asked where she lived. Apparently, he knew. As he knew so much about her while she barely knew who or what he was. Glancing at his rigid profile, she acknowledged that the man she’d bared her body and soul to was real. Frighteningly so. And now that he was done with her, he was dropping her off at home, like a teenaged boy whose parents had come home earlier than expected. Rounding the car, he was at her door in seconds, extricating her from its luxurious interior. She didn’t resist when he reached for her and held her tightly beside him as he walked her to the door.
His voice was low, raspy, as he stood her on the doorstep. “I need your key, sweetheart.”
She shook her head. “I never lock my door.” At his frown, she shoved at him. Not willing to look at him, she opened the door and stepped inside. To her surprise, he followed her. Closing the door behind him, he pressed her against it. As if he weren’t the one who’d brought their spectacular orgy to a crushing close, he said, “Oh no, you don’t. It’s bad enough that I had to drag you out of my house when you were barely awake.” Lifting her chin, he forced her to meet his stern gaze. “Sweetheart, you need to understand. Nothing except an emergency could make me leave you tonight. Unfortunately, I need to go to New York—now.”
When she didn’t answer, he said quietly, “Tara, you need to know, in all the crazy, wild things that I’ve done, in a life full of excess, I’ve never done what we did tonight with another woman. I didn’t know it was possible to feel the way that I do.” Holding her chin so firmly she was sure she would have a bruise, he said, “I want you to know that nothing except a family emergency could make me leave you like this.” When she didn’t answer, he said firmly, “Nod if you understand.”
When she swallowed hard, then managed to nod, he leaned down and kissed her on the cheek. And then he was gone.
Chapter 10
Not able to make another excuse why she couldn’t join them, Tara reluctantly agreed to go with Tanya and Tatiana to the Bitter n’ Twisted. It had been three days since Griffin had unceremoniously dropped her off at her door and disappeared. She’d spent most of the time as if in a trance. It had taken her late into the day he left to leave the confines of her home. Most of that day, she’d never made it out of her bed. When the first call came and she didn’t answer—because she couldn’t—she allowed herself to listen to his impassioned message. He explained that he’d had a family emergency, something about his ex-wife and children. The words ran into each other in her brain. She realized that she hadn’t known he had an ex-wife or children.
She finally acknowledged that she didn’t know a fucking thing about him except that he was a robber baron who was out to rape their county and—oh yes, was a consummate lover. Make that a sexual adventurer who had compromised her very soul. When the messages became more and more insistent and finally furious, she shut off her phone. She decided no matter how many calls he made or how many texts he sent, it was better to do without a phone than deal with his insistent overtures.
Sitting at the Bitter n’ Twisted, staring at her second porn star martini, Tara was surprised when her father and Ryker Thompson, Tanya’s impressive lover, joined them. She breathed a sigh of relief. It had been challenging trying to answer her sisters’ insistent queries about what was going on in her life. Apparently tired of her excuses about her absence and why she wasn’t answering her phone, Tanya and Tatiana had arrived at her office earlier, a clearly determined duo.
“I don’t know what the hell is going on with you, Tara, but just so you know, Hank, Robby, and Ethan are as concerned as we are. Dammit, sis, I’ve never seen you like this. Not to sound like a broken record, but what the hell is going on?”
Tara shook her head. “I’m sorry, Tanya. I admit, I’ve been a little . . . unavailable.”
“Ya think!” Tanya’s exclamation was endorsed by the concerned frown on Tatiana’s lovely face.
Before she could launch into a certain diatribe, Tara stopped her. “Please, Tanya, give me a break. You know what I get like when I’m on the warpath. For better or worse, I’ve been caught up in my work.”
“Griffin Black’s development?”
Tara nodded, deciding that was as close to the truth as she would admit. Before they could press her further, Tara closed her computer and forced a smile to curve her tight lips. “And yes, dear sisters of mine, I’m happy to go to the Bitter n’ Twisted. I concede. If I’ve ever needed a porn star martini or two, it’s now.”
As she reached for her purse, she ignored Tanya’s on-target observation. “While you’re at it, sis, you might consider adding a double-bacon cheeseburger with all the trimmings. I don’t know if you’ve looked in the mirror lately, Tara, but you look positively peaked.”
Tara grimaced. “Thanks, Tanya. Glad to know I look like shit since I just agreed to go to the most public place we have in this godforsaken town.” Ignoring the frowns straining both of her sisters’ faces, Tara strode out to the parking lot, resolutely climbing into Tatiana’s Toyota.
Now, minutes later, when she’d ignored her father’s observation that she hadn’t touched her burger and decided she was ready to face the second PS martini she’d ordered, Tara heard Tanya’s surprised whistle. Looking up through the red haze shrouding her eyes, it was as though a giant claw squeezed her chest, making it impossible for her to breathe. The din in her ears was so loud, it was a wonder she heard Tanya’s surprised exclamation.
“Whoo-eee! Lookie there, girls. Can you believe what I se
e? Make that who is coming toward us.”
All of the people at the table turned in response to Tanya’s surprised observation. Stunned and with a gut-wrenching tremor, Tara acknowledged that a grim-faced Griffin Black was truly striding across the noisy tavern, heading for their table.
Griffin came up beside her, resting his hand provocatively on the back of her chair. To her surprise, her father rose from his seat and extended his hand. “Good evening, Griffin. It’s good to see you.” He nodded to Ryker, who had risen when he did. “Don’t know if you’ve met the newest resident in our town, Griffin, but if not, I’m pleased to introduce Ryker Thompson. Along with my youngest daughter, Ryker has become a bit of a sensation in our unassuming town.”
To Tara’s surprise, Griffin shook Ryker’s hand and said, “I’m pleased to meet you, Agent Thompson. I’ve been intending to reach out to you. When he heard I was heading to southern Arizona, my Delta Force buddy Rolf Corson told me to look you up.”
Ryker blew out a surprised whistle. “Damn. Rolf Corson was the guy who convinced me to join the Bureau. He insisted every once in a while that tight-assed organization allowed a rule-breaker like me into their ranks. It was the only reason I even considered the FBI instead of one of the spook agencies, which would have been a more logical fit.” He added with a grin, “I’m pleased to meet you. No question but that I’ve heard a thing or three about you. If I’d known you were ex-military, Delta Force, like me no less, I would have sought you out earlier.”
Griffin responded pleasantly. “Yes, I was a number of years ahead of you. I credit the Force for my current endeavors. It was heading up a redevelopment project in Iraq that introduced me to the lure of development.”
Ryker put his hand on Tanya’s shoulder and said with a grin, “If you haven’t met her, this is Deputy Tanya Trouble. Second only to the impressive sheriff, she is the most formidable law ‘man’ you’ll meet. And not incidentally, she’s the woman I’m madly in love with.”
Griffin shot Tanya a winning smile. “You both are fortunate.” Turning to the redheaded woman next to Tanya, he said, “You must be Tatiana, the middle Trouble sister. I’ve heard about the important work you’re doing with abused women. I’d like to talk with you some time at your convenience. I’ve made a point of including shelters in a number of my projects. I would be pleased to share notes with you.”
Waving to a chair beside him, Titus said, “Please, Griffin, join us.” Nodding to his flushed and notably silent daughter at the end of the table, he added with a quizzical frown, “Obviously, you know Tara—”
Griffin interrupted him with a curt nod. “Thank you, Sheriff, but Tara and I planned to meet tonight.” Pinning a hard gaze on her, he reached for her arm and all but lifted her out of her chair. His voice was terse. “I went to the Gazette office and they told me I’d find you here.” He added cryptically, “You must not have received my messages.”
Turning to the clearly surprised group, he said, “I hope you will excuse us.” With a tight grip on Tara’s arm, he said over his shoulder as he led her toward the exit, “Perhaps another time. Good night, folks.”
The stunned group stared after them. Tanya broke their collective silence. “Well, well, well. That answers a few dozen of the questions I’ve had.” Looking from one to the other of her tablemates, her gaze landed on Ryker, who looked as surprised as she felt.
“Apparently, you’re not the only caveman who marches into the Bitter n’ Twisted and makes a claim, Ryker.” She added with a groan, “But damn! Griffin Black? Holy fuck! In a million years I wouldn’t have guessed he was what has thrown my big sis into a freakin’ tizzy.” Glancing at her father at the end of the table, a frown crossed her expressive face. “I don’t get it, Dad. Why don’t you look as surprised as the rest of us?”
Titus gave a dispassionate shrug worthy of a silent screen actor. “I gave up being surprised by anything you girls did, Tanya, when you were three years old and chopped off your sisters’ braids when they were sleeping. For no other reason except that in your rather narrow world view and, according to your sense of right and wrong, you wanted to be the only girl in the family with long hair.”
****
Dragging her across the crowded parking lot, Griffin ignored Tara’s stream of angry expletives. When they reached the end of the lot, he jerked her up next to him. Glaring at her, his voice vibrated with suppressed fury. “Damn you, Tara. I want you to tell me what universe you exist in that would make you think you could sashay away from the extraordinary night we shared and not answer a single one of my fucking phone calls.”
When she just shook her head, refusing to answer him, his expression tightened dangerously. Hauling her over to the gleaming Harley Davidson motorcycle parked on the side of the road, he shoved her next to it.
Tara jerked out of his grip and put up her hands when he reached for one of the helmets on the back of the bike. “What are you doing, dammit! If you think for one minute that I will get on this, you’re crazy. I won’t. I . . . I hate motorcycles. They’re dangerous!”
Griffin’s voice was rife with anger as he plunked the helmet on her head and tightened the strap under her chin and smacked the visor down over her eyes. “You’re right about that, honey. This ride is about as dangerous as any you are going to take in your life.”
Ignoring her when she continued to assert that she hated motorcycles and would never ride on one, he picked her up and summarily planted her on the back of the bike.
As he swung his leg over the engine mount and straddled the seat in front of her, he snorted. “Just one more thing that you think you don’t like, Tara?”
Horrified that he wouldn’t listen to her, Tanya pounded on his back and wailed. “No! Let me off. I don’t want to go to your fucking house!”
Griffin responded with a brusque nod as he strapped on his helmet and brought the powerful machine to life. “I don’t either, sweetheart. You’ll be glad to know that I’ve commandeered a special place, a haven for you and me to hole up in. A place where no one can find us unless I let them.”
Releasing the brake, Griffin tamped down hard on the clutch, firing up the engine. As the potent bike shot forward on to the narrow road, he warned her over the roar, “You better hang on to me, sweetheart. We’re about to go as fast as this testosterone-loaded crotch rocket can go. I wouldn’t want to lose you before I’ve shown you what will happen to you if you ever try to blow me off again.”
Chapter 11
Much as she hated doing what he told her to, Tara didn’t resist when Griffin reached back for her hands and wrapped them around his waist. When the formidable bike gathered speed and thundered onto the open road, she let out a frightened cry. In response, he clasped her hands in one of his, securing her hard up against him. Terrified, she buried her head against his back and clung to him. After several frightening moments, she gave in to the roar of the powerful engine. Huddled against him, Tara didn’t know if it was his muscular body or the engine vibrating between her thighs, but she was shocked when a cascade of erotic sensations flooded her core. Horrified, she ducked her head, praying Griffin didn’t feel her untoward shivers.
Her struggle with her tumultuous emotions, many of which were unwelcomely sensual, shuddered to an abrupt halt when Griffin turned onto a narrow, winding road. Not able to squelch a sharp cry at the death-defying swerve and afraid that she would fall off the careening bike, Tara clung more tightly to him. At one level, she was certain that he was trying to frighten her. But his skillful handling of the scary bike as he turned yet another sharp curve confirmed he’d logged untold miles on a motorcycle. Rounding a final curve, he pulled to a grinding stop in front of what looked like a small cabin. For the first time since he’d planted her on the back of the bike, Tara dealt with the fact that as terrifying as the motorcycle ride had been, given what she was about to face, it was a mere afternoon breeze compared to a tsunami.
Clearly not willing to let so much as an inch of space separate them,
Griffin leapt off the bike and had her in his arms as the kickstand hit the ground. Taking off his helmet and then hers, he strapped them on the bike, then tugged her up next to him. The night he’d commandeered her from the country club event, Tara had been struck by how tall he was. Accustomed to being scant inches shorter than most of the men she dated, his height surprised her. Now, captured next to him, she felt small, fragile, which only exacerbated her fear. Knowing there wasn’t a chance in hell that she could escape him, she gave in to the torrential emotions rioting over her. When her feet hit solid ground and she was off the death-mobile, she was glad her anger surged. Remembering how he’d hauled her out of the tavern, leaving her surprised family and more than a few dozen interested townsfolk staring after them, Tara turned on him.
“Damn you, Griffin, who in the hell do you think you are? How dare you do this to me? Embarrass me in front of my family and every ne’er-do-well in Sierra Vista? Not to mention scaring me to death. I told you I hate motorcycles. That I won’t ride on them . . . ”
Ignoring her tirade, Griffin tightened his grip on her arm and dragged her up the stairs to the cabin’s landing. Keeping her firmly tethered against him with one hand, he reached in his pocket with the other and retrieved a key. Before she could resume her outraged diatribe, he inserted the key in the lock, opened the door, and shoved her inside. Clicking on a light, he pressed her up against the wall. Reaching for her chin, he forced her to meet his fierce gaze. The sneer in his voice was as challenging as the anger gleaming in his emerald-hard eyes.