Cindy Revisited

by Honey Jans

  "Hand it over.” Jake leaned across his desk to take the steaming aromatic brew. There was no way he could stand up to reach for it, and show Mack how affected he was by the book. It wasn't just the steamy novel; it was the thoughts of doing those same things to Cyn. All he had to do was pick up a paddle from the store, and then he'd...

  "Earth to Jake, are you in there, pal?"

  "Man, you've got it bad,” Mack said, spinning around the chair in front of Jake's desk, and straddling it. “It must be the mysterious redhead."

  "Smart ass,” Jake said, but there was little heat in his voice.

  "So I take it you caught up with your runaway lover."

  "Yeah, you could say that,” Jake answered, adding under his breath, “Now I've just got to figure out how to keep her."

  Mack glanced back at the book. “It can't be. The woman that bought this novel is five foot two, a cute brunette, with sparkling green eyes; not a stacked redhead."

  Jake arched his brow at the stacked redhead comment, recalling Mack and Zane's heated reactions to her that night. He didn't want competition, but he knew they wouldn't really poach, even though they'd shared lovers in the distant past. “Okay, I'll play along. What are you now, psychic?"

  "Nah. Bound to Serve is one of the books I sell in the shop, a best seller. The cute brunette brought a slew of them a month back. Her name's Dana something, I think."

  "Dora,” Jake corrected him. “My woman's best friend."

  "You know her? The sly minx always comes in on someone else's shift. How about an introduction?"

  "How about a favor?” Jake shot back at him.

  "Just ask, and it's yours."

  * * * *

  Jake got back to the ranch at quarter to six, his plans for the night finalized. He was going to do his damnedest to bind Cyn to him with sex. He had a few sexy surprises in store for her. He'd only made it through a third of the book she'd lent him, and he was intrigued. He stalked up to bungalow six and entered, stripping off his leather jacket and unbuttoning his shirt on his way to the shower. Thinking of Cyn as he'd left her this morning, a blushing, bewitching delight, made his cock swell. Her red hair tousled around her pretty heart-shaped face. He was falling for her hard, and they'd only just begun.

  A knock on the door stopped him in his tracks, halfway to the bathroom. Cyn! His cock throbbed as he thought her name, swelling to painful proportions inside his jeans. He smiled. It pleased him that she was early, proving that she was just as anxious to be together as he was. She could wash his back.

  He strode back to the door hungry for her, and pulled it open. Brandy stood on his doorstep, and gasped, taking half a step back when she saw his scowling face. Damn it all, she was the last spoiled brat he wanted to see. She blinked her false eyelashes at him and smiled, recovering from her shock, as she took a step forward, deliberately stumbling, and falling into his arms.

  "Oops,” she said, then giggled. “Excuse me, Mr. Randal. I never will get used to these new stiletto heels. Although they do make my legs look sexy, don't you think?"

  So she knew who he was, which probably meant big mama did too. The word was out. They'd better damned not make trouble for Cyn. Jake scowled at the blond bombshell wannabe plastered to his chest, his hard-on shrinking like a popped balloon, and tried to peel her off him. It wasn't easy, since she clung to him, digging her long nails into his skin. Damn it all, Cyn had been right, they were after him. The little would-be Lolita was wearing full makeup, including false eyelashes, which she batted up at him as she gave him a calculated smile. Her cloying perfume made him gag, being potent enough to drop a cow, and his nose twitch. He managed to back her out the door, and slam it shut behind him. “Why are you here, Brandy?"

  Her pleased gaze swept up at him. “You remember my name. Most boys can't tell me apart from my twin sister."

  Oh brother. “You've got a mole on your left cheek. Don't take it personally. I'm a trained observer; I make it my business to notice things."

  "I'll just bet.” She traced a path down his chest with one sharp nail. “I've got another mole. Wanna see where it is?"

  Annoyed, he clamped his hand over her probing finger to stop it from drifting toward his crotch. She misinterpreted his touch and grinned, her glossy red lips curving into a triumphant smile. The girl was out to try her seduction skills on some unwary guy, but it wouldn't be him. “No. I was just about to take a shower, and you're interrupting it."

  "I could wash your back,” she said, licking her lips.

  Cindy walked down the path to Jake's bungalow, ready for their date. She'd seen his bike pull in, and couldn't wait for him to pick her up. She had important news for him. His return was out, and she'd been open about their affair. She knew it would please him.

  She turned the corner and saw Brandy in Jake's arms. His shirt was hanging open, her hand touching his bare chest, his hand over hers in what looked like a tender moment. Cindy stopped in her tracks, gasping with shock, as all her sultry hopes and dreams fizzled while she glared at them. How could he cheat on her with Brandy?

  Jake heard her, looked toward her and scowled. He pushed Brandy's hand off his skin. “Cyn."

  Brandy flicked her a victorious smile and Cyn glared back at her. This was no doubt payback for refusing to clean her room this morning. This kind of vindictive, childish behavior she could expect from the immature young woman, but Jake? It seemed so out of character for him. How could he have cheated on her so blatantly, knowing she might catch him? His outraged expression as he met her glare was confusing and only fed her anger.

  "Did you need something, Cinders?” Brandy asked.

  "Not a damned thing from you,” she said flatly, waiting for Jake to say something, at least beg her forgiveness. His closed, rather hurt expression, made her gut twist, along with her aching heart.

  "Good, then why don't you get out of that ridiculous dress, put your farmer clothes back on, and give us some privacy. We want to be alone."

  Cindy's spine went rigid, her chin rising with quiet outrage. She wouldn't give them the satisfaction of seeing her cry. “Don't let me interrupt.” She turned on her heel, and rushed back to her apartment.

  "Damn it all,” Jake said, giving Brandy a wide berth as he sprinted down the stairs. He was well and truly pissed. Cyn shouldn't have believed the ridiculous set-up. It was ludicrous to think he'd prefer Brandy's blatant charms to hers. Still, she'd taken the first opportunity to flee. He stepped down the path after Cyn, but Brandy grabbed his arm, stopping him.

  "Where do you think you're going? I'm not done with you yet,” she said, her green eyes narrowing.

  He directed a forbidding scowl at her hand lingering on his arm, and she took her hand off his sleeve. “I'm going to retrieve my woman. Go practice your womanly wiles on some other unsuspecting guy, jailbait. I'm not buying."

  "Well,” she hissed, stamping her foot. “You won't get me by playing hard to get, Jake Randal. Don't expect me to fall for this lovelorn act either; I'm too smart for that."

  "Believe what you want, little girl. I've got a much more important woman to deal with and she's waiting for me,” he snapped, turning away as Brandy glowered at him.

  "Come back here!” she demanded with a screech. “You're not the type to let that old maid lead you around by your cock!” she shouted after him.

  "Old maid,” he grumbled, his eyes narrowing, as he realized what kind of underhanded warfare they'd put his woman through. “Little brat, Cyn is more of a woman than you'll ever be,” he said, as he stalked away.

  "You're up to something, JT Randal,” Brandy yelled back at him, adding, “and my mom is going to find out what it is! Just you wait and see."

  Chapter 10

  Cindy slammed into her cabin, walking through the lobby and into her living space, blinking away the tears misting her eyes. How could she have been naive enough to think she had what it took to hold a man like Jake Randal? She'd known he was way out of her league when she'd seduced him at the ball.
But Brandy? How could he cheat on her with the stupid little brat?

  Brandy had gone after him mostly for spite of course, getting revenge for this morning. It only pointed out the futility of trying to get her to grow up and learn to stand on her own two feet. Damn it all, she should have expected something like this when Cordial revealed that she knew Jake's identity late this morning. Instead, she felt sucker punched, standing here sniffing back tears like a fool.

  The lobby door opened, and she froze, her heart stopping. Please don't let it be him. I can't take the humiliation, the pain of losing him. When she heard his distinctive, fluid, hunting footsteps cross the lobby floor, she groaned. Why hadn't she thought to lock it? Because she'd simply thought he wouldn't pursue her. Why the hell had he, after she'd caught him red-handed? She tensed, her spine stiffening, her chin rising defiantly. If he thought he could sweet-talk her into continuing their affair, he was dead wrong.

  As the connecting door to her apartment opened and closed, she turned to face him. He stood a foot away from her, his relentless hooded gaze locked on her. One thing she could say about him, he could be very focused. But so could she, and she choose to focus on his betrayal, as all her hormones went on red alert. His jaw was tight, his whiskey eyes clouded with hurt. She sucked in her breath at the startling sight. Why should he look so upset? She was the one who'd been wronged. “What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be negotiating with Brandy?” He closed in on her, his scent, his magnetic presence wrapped around her, making her shiver right down to her toes, despite her justifiable anger. Stiffening her spine, she glared up at him.

  He kept coming, closing the gap. “No. I'm not interested in Brandy, or anything she has to sell. I thought I'd made that clear earlier when I held you in my lap. It seems you need convincing."

  Cindy shivered, her nipples tingling, and retreated, backing up past the kitchen island and into the dining nook. She wouldn't back down from her justifiable outrage. She couldn't afford to, if she wanted to come out of this with her heart and pride in tact. “Could have fooled me, the way you were wrapped all over her."

  "It was the other way around, sugar. If you'll think about who was touching whom, you'll figure that out for yourself."

  "Yeah right,” she said, inching back, reliving the appalling incident in her mind. Jake backed against his door, Brandy grinning like a cat with cream as she leaned into him, her hand on his chest. It was true, Brandy had been the one with her hands on him, but he hadn't tried very hard to get away. “You're strong enough to push her back. You didn't."

  "I repeat. I'm not interested in Brandy."

  She backed away out of sheer self-survival, and wound up in a corner, trapped between the dinette table and the counter. Damn the man! He'd confused her so much he'd thrown off her sense of direction, turning her on at the same time. Her pulse was racing, but not from fear, she still wanted him, bad. She couldn't deny her arousal, their deep sexual connection.

  "You're just using this incident to drive us apart because you're afraid of what you feel,” he said, leaning into her.

  The accusation struck a little too close to home, and she glared up at him, his body heat making her flush. “That's not true."

  "Prove it,” he said, with a half smile, his hands braced on the wall on either side of her head, holding her trapped.

  Cyn burned, spellbound and needy, her gaze locked with his tempting, teasing, dark one. How could she have come to need him so much in this short a time frame? It wasn't fair, because it made her vulnerable. “How on earth could I prove it?"

  "Kiss me. If I don't rock your world, sugar, you can go back to hating me."

  That kind of teasing statement was probably guaranteed to get him back into her bed, darn it. Damn, but she wanted to taste him. Her defenses crumbled as her nipples tightened and her lips tingled. “And if you do?” she asked, intrigued, in spite of her self-protective instincts.

  "You'll find out,” he said, with a smile.

  The sensual promise, coupled with his sultry smile, made her shiver with delight. What other sexual tricks did he have in his bag? One little kiss wouldn't hurt, and it would settle things in her mind. She leaned forward, her lips pursed, and frowned when he didn't immediately bend to kiss her. He wanted to make her work for it. She went up on her tiptoes, and brushed her lips against his, moaning when she tasted him, only it wasn't as good when he didn't cooperate.

  She whispered, “Come here, you,” against his lips, wrapped her arms around his neck, and pulled him down to kiss her properly. He went with a growl, his mouth slanting over hers. He nipped her lower lip and she opened for him, shivering as he took her mouth. Oh yeah, this was what she craved. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into his aroused body, and thrilled at her ability to turn him on. Whimpering, she rocked her throbbing sex against the rock-hard bulge of his cock. Tonight she wanted to see it, taste it.

  She trembled when his hands slid down to cup her buttocks and squeeze. She rocked against the ridge of his cock, sparks going through her. When Jake flipped up her skirt to give her five sharp spanks, she whimpered and melted against him.

  "We're exclusive. Never forget it again,” he punctuated the last word with a spank that caught her on the bottom of her ass.

  "Yes, sir,” she gasped, her legs quivering as she went up on tiptoes again.

  He smoothed her skirt down, and kissed the teardrops off her cheeks. “No more tears.” He turned her toward her bedroom. “Pack an overnight bag. I'm taking you away from this mess."

  "But the chores, I can't just leave."

  "You've got hands, let them work a full day for once. I guarantee you, Pedro would like to crack the whip on them."

  "So you've already spoken to Pedro about this?"

  "We've talked. He wants you to cut back; he's afraid you're hurting yourself. So am I."

  It touched her to have both big men worry about her. It was true Pedro had been trying to convince her to cut back for weeks, and she hated to worry him. She hesitated, sorely tempted to chuck it all, and run off with Jake. “I'll give you tonight, but I can't make any promises beyond tomorrow."

  "Tonight you're mine, mind, body and soul,” he said, watching her pack.

  And heart, she said silently as she zipped the duffle bag, adding the latest obscene letter to the stack of clothes. She'd already accepted that she was in love with Jake, knowing full well he was only thinking of this as a summer fling. It didn't matter. She'd take him any way she could get him. At least he was trying to take care of her in his own gruff alpha male way. For all his breeding, Jake Randal was still rough around the edges and it excited her.

  She walked outside with him, locking her door behind her. Instead of feeling like she was abandoning her post, she felt light and bubbly, as if she was running away. Only Jake could affect her this way. Slanting a glance at his hard body, she could hardly believe she'd agreed to go away on a fantasy overnight with him. Her body tightened with anticipation, and her sex got creamy. She already ached for him.

  He looked perfectly at home here on the ranch in his biker leathers and boots, even though this had to be foreign territory to a sophisticated man of the world like him. Jake seemed to dominate whatever setting he was in, especially the bedroom. That thought made her tingle, as she licked her bottom lip. His steamy gaze locked on her and she smiled, her heart racing.

  "Ready?” he asked, holding out his hand, his gaze holding hers fast.

  "Always,” she murmured sinking deep into the whiskey depths of his masterful eyes; her nipples beading inside her bra and her lips tingling as she gazed at his. She was dying to kiss him again, needed to taste him. She took half a step toward him, his sheer magnetism pulling her, like a moth to a flame. He was liable to burn her up, but what a spectacular way to go.

  "Just a little warning, sugar,” he said, with a smile. “I read chapter seven."

  Cyn stumbled, her knees going weak as his teasing statement sank in. Chapter seven; oh god! Jake instantly reac
hed out to steady her, his big hand clamping around her bare upper arm. She let out a needy gasp, her body turning to pudding. She was so melty, he could eat her up with a spoon, and by the wicked gleam in his eye, he knew it. He only had to touch her, and she was on fire. Jake gave her a bad boy smile in response, his rough fingertips stroking her skin.

  Am I ready for chapter seven? It contained ultra-hot scenes, paddling, and two men. Oh my! Truthfully, she couldn't foresee wanting any other man in her bed, or watching her have sex, but it was intriguing. Her heart skipped a beat at the thought. It couldn't be, Jake struck her as very territorial, the kind of alpha male that did not share his toys, despite his wicked, hell-raiser reputation as a youth.

  "I'm starved for you, sugar.” Jake reached out to take her bag from her limp fingers.

  Cyn let it go, glad he'd grabbed the bag before she dropped it. Stunned and turned on, she didn't know how to react to his brazen statement. “Me too,” she murmured; it was the best she could come up with.

  "That's sweet,” he said, skimming his hand down her arm to take her hand in his.

  He gave her hand a little squeeze, and Cyn all but fell into a puddle at his feet. He knew she was nervous and was trying to soothe her, how perfect. She squeezed his hand back to show him she was fine, and tried to give him a serene smile in return.

  "Let's get this show on the road before you chicken out on me."

  Smart man, he could read her emotions so well. “I'm ready to go,” she said, determined to hang onto her sophisticated pose. Truth be told, even though she was a little nervous, she was eager to be with him. To hell with whoever disapproved. She was starving for him too. She went on tiptoe to kiss him. Jake's mouth slanted over hers; his arms wrapped around her pulling her tight to him, as his tongue mated with hers. The world became a rosy glow behind her closed eyes, as she indulged in a taste of Jake.

  He was absolutely, positively yummy, and as his cock grew hard against her mound, she whimpered, leaving him in no doubt of her need for him when she arched against him. Leading him back to her bed was sounding better and better all the time to her sex-starved body. Instead, he broke the kiss, setting her back from him. She let out a disgruntled grumble of complaint, frowning up at him to see his hard mouth twitching with stifled laughter. He was getting off on driving her crazy, darn him. “Stop playing hard to get,” she said, stomping her foot.