The only credit she’d give him about the breakup was that he hadn’t left her wondering about their relationship. He’d broken it off and left that same day. No long explanations and no wavering.
He hadn’t even listened to her. It had smashed her heart. Looking back, she knew the years of wondering would have been worse than the quick, clean break. That didn’t get him much good will. She wasn’t in the mood to pick up where they’d left off even if he had done the right thing.
She tore herself out of the thoughts as the Duce began descending. The isolation of their cabin in the Neber Forest should give her the time she needed. Darmain might be a well-established colony planet, but it was still a colony with great expanses of the planet uninhabited or intentionally undeveloped. Such as the area where their family’s cabin was located. There were a couple of other cabins fairly close by, but none of them were occupied at the moment.
She looked over at her blond-haired brother as he guided the transport down to the empty landing pad. He looked serious, more so than she’d seen him in a long time. More so than necessary. He flew with an enviable ease and no wind or storms made conditions dangerous today.
As soon as they touched the ground, she turned to him. “Is something wrong?”
“No, just a few thoughts.” He shook his head and smiled at her.
“You don’t think that Sorensen will cause a problem with the change in representative, do you?” She tilted her head. Tobias Sorensen was relatively new to the colony and she hadn’t had any dealings with him herself. “This can wait.”
The only thing that would worry him at the moment was the Donner family business. Jericho might become a problem for him once he discovered she was gone. If Jericho was as serious about renewing their relationship as he seemed, he wouldn’t be happy with her disappearance. He’d ask where she was first and then the pressure on her family would start from him and his brothers.
“If Sorensen wants to do business with us, he’ll talk with me.” Daniel shook his head. “If he decides to go elsewhere, it’s no real loss.”
The business definitely wasn’t in trouble. It had all started with farms and orchards when their ancestors came here. The farms and orchards had grown, but now the Donner family sold their own product instead of handing it off to someone else. They had several stores as well as an office where they handled larger orders.
“All right.” She let it go because she wanted to take this time without Jericho calling or appearing from nowhere. Maybe without the pressure she’d discover what she felt for him. Most of her focus centered around the remembered love and the all too familiar anger over his presumption whenever he was near.
“You need to relax. I’m sure this time away from everything will help with that and the Jericho situation.” He turned in the seat. “I’ll help you unload and then I’ll leave you here and get back home.”
“Don’t let them bully you into telling them where I am. He and his brothers often work together when one of them is in trouble.” She climbed out onto the landing pad. Reaching into the cabin, she grabbed her shoulder bag.
Daniel strolled back and opened the back hatch to get her bags and the supplies. “I’m not telling them anything.”
“Good. Jericho can wait until I’m ready to deal with him. He certainly kept me waiting long enough.” She sniffed as she joined him and took a crate containing food.
“I still don’t know why he likes you. You have an evil streak running right through you.” Daniel shook his head.
“I’m not evil.” She shook her head and grinned. Her brother hadn’t taken sides, but she knew he thought she should give Jericho a chance.
Tall, green trees almost surrounded the square landing site. She could smell the tang of sap from the Icura tree. Its seed pods littered the ground and crunched beneath her feet on the walkway. Aroco trees outnumbered the other trees nearby though. The branches of the large trees bowed under the heavy weight of the nuts hidden among the fat, rounded clusters of leaves.
Only a cobbled path remained clear to the large house. She started up the path to the two-story log cabin their family used for recreation and retreat. Light streamed through gaps in the leafy branches onto the stone pavers. She inhaled the sweet scent of wildflowers and savored the calm peace around her.
“Of course you’re not. Pouring your drink on him isn’t evil. Walking out of a room every time he comes in isn’t evil.” Her brother’s voice carried to her as he followed her.
“No, not in the least. He shouldn’t have pushed and I could have done much worse.” Charleigh held back a laugh. She had been giving Jericho a hard time and didn’t feel much remorse about it at all.
She smiled as they emerged from the trees in front of the deep brown house. Two large windows flanked the door. The vacation house had always seemed to be a welcoming haven. Now it was even more so. It was a shelter away from Jericho’s continual demands.
“He was pushing? Provoking that bar fight he was in last week, ditching him when he managed to wrangle a date and trying to think of a way to get him off the planet again aren’t pushing?” Daniel came even with her as they reached the stone steps. “Why don’t you start putting away the food? I’ll get the last of the supplies.”
Good thing he didn’t know half of what she’d thought of doing or he really would think she was evil. Jericho hadn’t given her time to adjust to him being back. Almost from the moment he’d been back on planet, he’d been pressing for a new start. She’d just reacted and hadn’t done much else.
Stopping in front of the door, she shifted her load enough to free a hand. She input the code into the panel at the side of the door. Once the alarm was deactivated, she opened the door and led the way inside.
She took one of the crates into the kitchen and began to put things where they belonged. She loved this kitchen. The walls were a cheery light-green accented with yellow. Gorgeous dark wood cabinets had ample space for the supplies. She heard the door open once and then two knocks, but didn’t pay much attention. Daniel was probably messing with her.
Opening the pantry door to put away the cold crate, she found a large crate right in the middle of the entry to the storeroom. She frowned, but decided another family member must have accidentally left it the last time they were here. She nudged it with her shoe to get it out of her way, but it didn’t move. It was too heavy to be empty. Setting the empty crate on the kitchen counter, she opened the big crate. Meat, vegetables, fruit and beverages filled the crate.
“Daniel!” She whirled. Someone was here. No one in her family planned to use the cabin this week.
A tall, black-haired man leaned against the kitchen doorway. A smile curved his lips. Jericho Larson looked completely at ease and not at all worried that he was about to become one very dead man.
“Daniel’s already on his way home.” Jericho straightened away from the door.
Charleigh pushed past him and strode to the door. It slid open before she reached it. Once she stepped onto the porch, she stopped. She saw the Duce flying over the treetops. Daniel had set her up. She clenched her fists and swung around to face Jericho. He stood in the doorway, simply waiting.
“What are you doing here, Jericho?” She scowled. Daniel knew she wanted to think. How could he do this to her? There wasn’t any way she could think about their relationship when Jericho was so close. He was too demanding and arrogant to give her space.
“When I saw you earlier in the week, you had this smug little smile. I know when you’re plotting. Come back inside.” He stepped back, gesturing her back into the house.
“This is kidnapping, Jericho.” She folded her arms across her chest. He could wait as long as he liked. She wasn’t going back in there with him. “I came here to get away from you.”
Jericho wouldn’t hesitate to toss her over his shoulder. She knew once she got that close to him again, she’d want more. The attraction had always been explosive. Even now, her skin tingled and seemed hypersensitive where
he’d touched her.
“You came to plot your next move. Knowing that I’d be going out of my mind wondering where you were was a bonus.” Jericho stepped out and grasped her hand, tugging her back into the house. “And you came here on your own. So not kidnapping.”
“Unlawful detaining or whatever. You know I don’t want to be with you.” She glared at him, but followed along without making a fuss.
He led her into the living room. The light-cream-colored walls normally gave the room an open, welcoming feeling. Usually she felt safe and at home here amid the large comfortable furniture. With Jericho here, that all changed. The walls seemed to be closing in on her and every piece of furniture sent her mind straight to thoughts of sex.
As the passed an overstuffed black chair, she saw herself bent over the back of it with Jericho behind her, his cock driving into her. She could almost feel the pop of his hand as it landed on her hip. The muscles in her pussy clenched as a wave of need washed through her.
Her eyes skittered away from the innocent piece of furniture and landed on the coffee table. An image of her on her back on top of it immediately slammed into her. Jericho knelt at the end of it between her thighs. He kissed his way up her thigh and swept his tongue over the lips of her pussy. His tongue dipped between even as his fingers joined in teasing her. She shivered at the thought. She’d always loved the way he used his lips and tongue.
“I think I’m safe from arrest. Aside from that, you’re such a little liar. You want to be with me even more than you want revenge for me leaving you.” Jericho drew her over to the black couch.
“Safe because your brother’s the law in Cassid and has contacts almost everywhere.” She rolled her eyes as he stopped in front of the couch. “You’re deluded.”
The couch. Her mind went wild with possibilities. It latched on to one particular favorite though. Her hands pressed him down into the soft cushion as she straddled him. His hands fastened at her waist, unable to give up all control to her as she took his cock deep into her cunt. Her hips rocked and she rode him, but his hands guided and controlled the pace.
She bit back a moan. Her memory and fertile imagination were tormenting her. The desire for him and what they once had didn’t make it easy to stay mad at him.
“Sweetheart, the only one you’ve fooled is yourself.” He sat and tugged her down beside him. “Your family, your friends and even acquaintances know you’re in love with me.”
She hadn’t fooled herself either, but damn it, she was still mad at him. “You left. You didn’t try to get in touch with me. For eight years I didn’t know what you were doing or where you were.”
“My brother told—” Jericho began.
“Your brother Abram told me you were fine every six months or so. When your brother Rio was almost killed, your brother Abram told everyone he was fine. Not reassuring.” Her finger dug into his chest. She turned on the couch to glare at him. “Where’s your vehicle? I know you have one. You’re taking me back now.”
“No, I don’t have one. We’re here for two weeks to restart the relationship.”
“You’d never leave yourself stranded.” She shook her head. The man she knew would always have a way to get help if needed.
“Not stranded. I’m with you. If we need to contact anyone, this house has the standard holo-com in almost every room. No one’s going to come get you, though.” His fingers brushed over her arm. “Tell me that you haven’t dreamed about me.”
He was probably right about no one coming to get her. If Daniel was part of it, she was sure he had help from other people. The holo-com might let her communicate with almost anyone, but it would be useless unless she could think of someone who wouldn’t take his side or be stopped by his brothers before they could help.
She looked down at her lap. She’d like to tell him her dreams of him had stopped long ago, but she couldn’t do that. Although she’d like to give him a kick in his ego, she wasn’t going to lie to him. “I dreamed of you. Why did you leave? We were talking about a life together and then you were gone.”
“We were going too fast. I had nothing to offer you then. At best, I could go into law enforcement, work the ranch or bounty-hunt. My brother loves his job, but I knew then it wasn’t for me. I’d be bored out of my mind.” Jericho sighed. “So I joined the United Coalition for a few years, learned the trade business and set up my own operation in this sector.”
“So why didn’t you tell me about that before you left?” She pulled back. She had a feeling she wasn’t going to like his answer.
“I didn’t know if I’d succeed.” He shrugged.
She lunged to her feet, incensed. Her fists clenched as she faced him. If what she suspected were true, he had a lot of nerve even coming back here. “You weren’t coming back if you didn’t make the trade company profitable, were you?”
“No.” Jericho watched her intently, but didn’t rise to his feet.
She spun and stalked to the door. Shock and hurt blasted through her. Her mind locked on that simple “no”. He wouldn’t have returned. If his trading business had failed, she’d still be wondering what happened to him. She’d rather walk through the seven pits of hell than stay with him.
She made it to the bottom step of the porch before a heavy hand landed on her shoulder. Jericho’s other arm banded around her waist. He lifted her off her feet. Without any perceptible strain, he carried her back into the house.
“Where do you think you’re going?” He put her down in front of the couch, but kept his hand on her arm.
“Away from you. I’ll walk home if I have to.” She shoved against his chest. “I don’t want to be anywhere that you are.”
“Don’t push it, Charleigh. I promised myself I’d give you space and wouldn’t carry on the family tradition with you.” Jericho’s voice lowered in a distinct growl.
Chapter Three
Charleigh lifted her chin. She wasn’t letting him intimidate her with that threat. So his family had a history of abduction marriages, they also had a tradition of loving marriages. He hadn’t cared enough before and would have stayed away if he’d failed to make a success of his trading business. His feelings for her were plain. She gritted her teeth and concentrated on the anger. If she didn’t, she might break down and cry. After all these years, it shouldn’t hurt so much to discover that his feelings for her weren’t as intense as hers were.
“Right. Let me go, Jericho.” She jerked her arm, but his hand tightened.
He tugged back. He leaned in until his breath feathered over her lips and they were almost touching. “No. Show me that you don’t want me. That your anger has burned out the desire for me. Maybe I’ll believe you enough to let you go home.”
From the hard look in his brown eyes, she didn’t think so. “I don’t have to show you anything. As if I’d believe you’d make the kind of effort your grandfather, father and uncles did. I don’t matter enough.”
“You don’t matter? You are the only reason I’m here, the only reason I came back.” Jericho grasped her shoulders.
“Don’t even try that. Your family is here. Everyone knows how close you are to them.” She shook her head. He could run his business from anywhere, but he’d come back to his family. She was just a second thought. Hurt lanced through her. Damn him. Couldn’t he at least tell her the truth?
He glowered at her. His expression tightened. “You’re here.”
She lifted her head and refused to comment on it. They could argue about it for the rest of the day and it wouldn’t make any difference. She pressed her hands against his chest.
“Totally unreasonable. I knew I should have started off with this.” His palm cupped the back of her head.
He pulled her close in spite of her resistance. His lips brushed over hers. She clamped her lips shut, but her hands clenched on his shirt. His tongue probed at her lips. Torn between anger and desire, she froze. His hand remained at the back of her head while his other settled at the base of her spine, tugging h
er close.
It had been so long since she’d been this close to him. In spite of the anger and hurt, the warmth of his hard, muscled body slowly relaxed her. She couldn’t resist opening her mouth for his kiss. He took full advantage before she could change her mind. His tongue swept into her mouth, taunting and teasing. She rose on tiptoes to get closer to him and deepen the kiss.
His hand slid lower, cupping her buttocks and lifting her against the hard ridge of his cock. “Does that feel as though you don’t matter? You’re the only person who matters. Before we go home, you’re going to know it.”
She moaned. Her mouth opened. She had to say something, show him that this wasn’t going to change her mind. She didn’t know how he did it. The moment he touched her, she began to burn. It didn’t matter if the touch was sexual or casual.
His mouth closed over hers again. His hand slid down from the back of her head, but she didn’t take the opportunity to rip her mouth away. Her tongue stroked over his. His hand gripped her thigh, guiding it around his waist. His hips rocked, rubbing the hard ridge of his cock against her pussy.
She tore her mouth away from his and dragged in a harsh breath. As much as she grabbed for a bit of sanity, she couldn’t reach it. For her, there had always only been Jericho. He made her insane with desire as much as anger. She pressed kisses to his neck.
“This won’t solve anything.” She rested her head on his shoulder, but her hands roamed over his chest.
“Not solve, but at least you’ll know that what’s between us isn’t going way. I walked away from you once. I’m not letting you do it this time.” He lifted her completely off her feet and carried her through the house.
“Jericho…” She didn’t know what she was trying to tell him.
He continued on and didn’t stop until they were inside one of the bedrooms. The door to the bedroom slid closed behind them. Torn between desire and uncertainty, she couldn’t untangle her muddled thoughts.
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