A deep moan erupted from him and his eyes glazed over as she continued to massage his erection, especially the tip, where droplets of moisture wet her fingers.
“Oh, Brittany!”
Her name seemed ripped from him as he grabbed her and sank to the floor. Without removing his clothes, he eased her back on the worn carpet, spread her robe and knelt over her. With his hands covering her breasts, he parted her legs and thrust high and deep inside her.
They both froze.
The exquisite shock of their bodies finally coming together rendered them useless for a moment. Then, with his dazed eyes locked on hers, Collier began to move fast and with raging intensity. Every nerve, every muscle in her responded to his desperate hunger.
Seconds later, their cries penetrated the silence simultaneously.
Just watching her sleep stirred his sexual appetite.
Propping himself up on one arm, Collier soaked up every detail of her lovely face, long swanlike neck, creamy shoulders and breasts. But it was her nipples peeping above the sheet that brought him to another slow boil. They were perfectly rounded and rosebud pink.
He was tempted to lean over and lick them, then take them between his lips and suck until they were pebble-hard. He shifted, his erection making him uncomfortable. She was sleeping so peacefully, he hated to disturb her.
After they had made love on the floor, he’d carried her to the bed, where he’d pulled her against his chest and held her. She’d gone to sleep almost instantly. Rest was what she needed. She’d been through so much lately, the assault and near-rape, then the wound to her hand.
She also continued to hold down two jobs and go to school. She was bound to be exhausted. His heart went out to her, but realistically, there wasn’t anything he could do to change her circumstances.
She wasn’t his responsibility. But if she was, and he could change things, would he? He held his breath for a moment while that thought took on a life of its own. The idea of sharing a home with Brittany, of waking up in the same bed with her every morning, was actually chilling.
Horrifying.
Yet wonderfully enticing.
Impossible.
Although their lovemaking on the floor had been quick and desperate, it was the most incredible sex he’d ever had. He had no qualms admitting that. Still, sex was all it was. Sooner than later that would cease to be enough, especially when so much was at stake: his career, his life.
A night’s romp in the sheets wasn’t worth that.
Lana. A groan escaped him. The fact that he wasn’t ready to commit himself to her for life didn’t mean he could deliberately and continually cheat on her. He could excuse tonight. He’d acted on pure, hot adrenaline, appeasing the raw hunger that had turned him into a wild man.
But when he walked out of this trailer, he’d be a wise man not to return. He’d had his dose of Brittany Banks, and that would have to suffice.
“What are you thinking about?”
The sound of her soft, raspy voice gave him a start. “So you’re awake.”
“Did you sleep?” she asked in an almost shy tone.
“No. I watched you.”
Her face was bathed in color. “Oh.”
Collier chuckled. “I can’t believe you’re blushing.”
Her color deepened. “I’m not.”
“Sure you are,” he responded with a tenderness he’d never felt for another woman. But there was something about Brittany that tapped that emotion inside him, made him want to protect her, shield her from further pain and heartache.
Including him.
Still, he ached to know everything there was to know about her, what her hobbies were, what she liked to eat, what she liked to read. He wanted to buy her nice things, rid her closet of all those inexpensive clothes, dress her in the finest the stores had to offer. He wanted to shower her with the finest in jewelry, as well, and he pictured diamond studs in her small earlobes.
Everything. He wanted it all. Therein lay the danger. The more he knew, the more he wanted to know, which made it impossible to walk away.
“What time is it?” she asked.
He peered into her sweet upturned face. “Time for me to go,” he said heavily.
“Don’t. Please.”
Following her strangled plea, she reached up, pulled his head down, then fluttered her lips against his, sucking the tip of his tongue, then biting her way across his neck.
“Don’t stop!” Her unexpected touch was like gasoline on an open flame. A deep burn spread through him, and in one swift move he rolled her on top of him, lifting her so that her softness swallowed his hardness with perfect precision. As he placed his hands on her breasts, they began to move, slowly at first, once again savoring the fact their bodies were united, then faster, the friction building to an unbelievable pitch.
“Oh, yes, Brittany!” he cried out.
She answered his cry at the same time he spilled his seed into her. A hard shudder followed; then she collapsed on top of him.
Rupert had noticed the vehicle when he’d pulled up and parked on the dark, deserted street across from Brittany’s trailer. Was she entertaining? If so, male or female? It was hard to tell, though, if the visitor was even hers. The homes were jammed so closely together in the park that cars were always lining the curb. Still, he’d never seen a Lexus there before, and it made him uneasy, though he knew Brittany wasn’t seeing a man.
He would know it if she were.
Since he couldn’t have her in his bed, watching her comings and goings at odd hours had become one of his greatest pleasures. And obsessions. He didn’t know how long he’d been here this particular evening—several hours, for sure, though he’d obviously dozed off for part of that time.
That must have been when the car arrived.
Now he had no alternative but to wait. Until he knew whether the overnight guest belonged to Brittany, he wasn’t budging, even though daylight was threatening to peep over the horizon.
The thought of anyone else making a move on Brittany made his blood curdle. She belonged to him. He wasn’t about to let anyone come along and take his place. He had plans for her. For them.
Rupert shivered suddenly, the chilly air from outside finally making its way inside. Rather than crank the engine and turn on the heat, he reached for the bottle beside him and took another generous sip. He hadn’t been able to drink much lately. Too dangerous. He’d had a lot going on at the office that demanded his undivided attention.
Also, no one must suspect his love affair with the bottle.
Closing his bleary eyes, he savored the feel of the booze invading his system. It was only after he finally opened his eyes again that he noticed the Lexus had pulled away from the curb, its taillights winking back at him.
“Sonofabitch,” he muttered.
If the owner of that vehicle had been at Brittany’s, he’d missed seeing him or her leave. There would be another time, he told himself. If Brittany was cheating on him, he’d find out.
The booze suddenly soured in his stomach. He opened the door and upchucked.
Nineteen
Haley Bishop ran her finger around the rim of her cup and stared out the window at the tall trees drenched in their coat of multicolored leaves.
“What’s bugging you, darling?”
Haley gave her mother, Odessa, a less than enthusiastic smile. “Oh, just stuff.”
She had dropped by her mom’s house just for a second to check on her and grab a quick cup of Odessa’s delicious hot chocolate. For so long Haley had been robbed of that pleasure, since she’d worked and lived out of town. But now that she’d returned to Haven, her mother’s house and goodies were readily accessible.
Haley knew Odessa was delighted she had returned, especially as Odessa had not being feeling well, her weak heart acting up. Still, Odessa wasn’t sickly, not by any means. Tall, with more gray in her hair than red, she was an older version of her daughter. And almost as active, too, Haley thought with relief.
Only when she had a spell with her heart did Odessa slow down. For someone in her late seventies, that was a blessing.
“What kind of stuff?” Odessa asked into the lengthening silence, her gaze pinned on her daughter.
Haley shrugged her slender shoulders. “You know, just life.”
“Haley Elizabeth Bishop, stop beating around the rosebush. Out with it, child.”
Even though Haley was thirty-five, Odessa still referred to her as a child. But then, she guessed that was how mothers were. She wouldn’t know, she reminded herself sadly, never having had that pleasure.
“That sigh proves something is bearing heavily on your mind,” Odessa commented. “Is it your work?”
Haley picked up on the anxious note in her mother’s tone and hastened to reassure her. “Absolutely not. I love my new job. But what I love more is not being on the road. Now that I’m head adjuster, it’s the people under me who have to hit the highways.”
“You have no idea how relieved I am about that. I worried about you every minute.” Odessa paused, taking a sip of her chocolate. “So if it’s not work, then what?”
Haley let go of a deep sigh. “I went to see Jackson the other day.”
“Jackson Williams?”
“Do you know another Jackson, Mom?” Haley asked.
“No.”
Her mother’s lips had narrowed. “Oops. You don’t approve.”
Odessa put down her cup. “I didn’t say that.”
Haley smiled. “You didn’t have to.”
“He broke your heart,” Odessa pointed out in a soft but concerned tone.
“That he did,” Haley said flatly. “Though in truth, part of that was my fault.”
“Has there been any change in his condition?”
Another sigh. “Unfortunately, no.”
“Haley, dear, talk to me. Stop making me use tweezers to pull out what’s bothering you.”
Still Haley hesitated, perusing the cheerful kitchen and breakfast nook done in yellow, green and white. Such a wonderful, cheery room, filled with light and hope. “He…he seems so lost, so depressed, sitting in that awful chair.” Her voice cracked, and for a moment she couldn’t go on.
Odessa reached over and placed her hand on top of Haley’s. “I’m so sorry, honey.”
“I know, Mom. So am I. I just wish I could help him.”
“As a friend only?”
The question took her aback and made her think. “I don’t know. Perhaps I still love him.”
Odessa put pressure on her hand while her eyes turned troubled. “Don’t confuse pity with love. That’s never a good thing for the person on the pity end.”
“Don’t you think I know that? It’s just that when I saw him, something inside me changed. I…felt like I’d come home.”
“Dear—”
“I know what you’re thinking, that I’ve lost my mind, that he’s no longer a whole man and won’t ever be. But that didn’t seem to matter to me.” Haley paused, her mouth taking a downward slant. “Besides, I’ve never found anyone else.”
“Oh, honey, that’s no reason to think you won’t. You’re so young.”
“Mom, I’m thirty-five.”
Odessa rolled her eyes. “And that’s old?”
“It is if you want to have a—” Haley stopped mid-sentence, feeling the color drain from her face.
“A baby. Was that what you were going to say?”
Tears clogged Haley’s throat. She could only nod.
“Oh, honey,” Odessa said again in a distressed voice, “that’s all the more reason why you can’t…shouldn’t get involved with Jackson except as a friend. Somewhere out there is Mr. Right. You wait and see.”
“What if it’s Jackson?” Haley maintained stubbornly.
The lines on Odessa’s face deepened. “What was his reaction to you?”
“Pissed off.”
If her mother was shocked by her choice of words, she didn’t show it. Haley suspected she was too upset by this entire conversation to worry about one word. No doubt her mother wanted her to marry and have a family. What mother didn’t? But she knew Odessa would never make her feel badly one way or the other. She’d always been supportive of whatever Haley undertook. That was why Haley had ended up spilling her heart to her, something she hadn’t planned on doing.
“He wasn’t glad to see me,” Haley added into the silence, “but he didn’t kick me out.”
“I wouldn’t think so,” Odessa said in a slightly mollified tone.
“I’m going back, though.”
“Do you think that’s smart?”
“No, but it’s something I have to do. I have to figure out some way to get him out of that room, out of that shell he’s built around himself.” Haley balled her fists. “He’s wasting his life.”
“But it’s his life,” Odessa reminded her softly.
Haley’s chin lifted defiantly. “Maybe not. Maybe he just thinks because he’s a prisoner of that chair, he has no choice.”
A deep sigh escaped Odessa. “Oh, Haley, darling, you were always an impetuous child. As an adult…well, you haven’t changed all that much.”
Haley gave her head a shake. “Don’t worry, Mom, I’m not about to do anything stupid.”
“Since when?”
Seeing the mischievous twinkle in Odessa’s eyes, Haley felt herself relax, then chuckle. “If the shoe fits, wear it. Right?”
“Right.
They both laughed, which seemed to take the heaviness out of the air.
“Finish your chocolate,” Odessa ordered gently. “It’s bound to be getting cold.”
Haley downed the last little bit, then licked her lips. “I’d forgotten just how good that was.” She paused, another shadow crossing her face. “Jackson always loved your hot chocolate.”
“Yes, he did,” Odessa responded lightly, getting up and taking their cups to the sink.
“Would you mind if I brought him here?”
Odessa hesitated, which told Haley what she needed to know. Her stomach bottomed out. She could never become seriously involved with anyone her mother didn’t approve of. She just couldn’t. They were too close. Yet she couldn’t live her life entirely by Odessa’s standards, either. She had always been too stubborn, too strong-willed, for that.
So what was the answer? Should she leave Jackson alone? Was her mother right? Was she only interfering where she wasn’t wanted, ultimately doing more harm than good? After all, there were so many more complicated factors than him just sitting in that room—his manhood, for one.
“When you get quiet, something’s amiss,” Odessa said, turning around and leaning against the counter.
“Mom!”
“It’s the truth. It was never wise to turn my back on you. Your father never let me forget that, either.” Odessa’s eyes turned dreamy for a second. “He absolutely adored you.”
“And I adored him,” Haley said. “And, like you, not a day goes by that I don’t miss him.”
Walter Bishop had succumbed to cancer a number of years ago. Although her mother had had several opportunities to remarry, she hadn’t, maintaining that if she couldn’t have Walter, she didn’t want anyone.
Haley had felt much the same, positive no one could ever take her daddy’s place. Perhaps that was why she’d never married. She was looking for someone with the same qualities as her beloved dad. Jackson had come close, only he hadn’t asked her to marry him.
If only…
“Haley?”
She shook her head. “Yeah, Mom?”
“I’m not trying to rush you, but isn’t it time you went to work?”
“Oh my God!” Haley yelped, peering at her watch. “That’s an understatement.” Even though she wasn’t on a time clock, she had no intention of taking advantage of her new position. And strolling in an hour late would definitely be taking advantage.
“See you soon.” Haley kissed her mom on the cheek, grabbed her purse and dashed for the door. “Thanks for the morni
ng treat.”
“Haley?”
Odessa’s soft but firm voice pulled her up short. She swung around, and her heart sank. Her mother suddenly looked old and frail. Was their conversation responsible? She opened her mouth, but nothing came out.
“I just don’t…” Odessa’s voice seemed to just fade away.
“Oh, Mom, don’t you worry, you hear? Jackson probably won’t let me get near him again, even if I wanted to.”
“I don’t want you to stay away from him, my dear,” Odessa countered in a chastising tone. “I just don’t want you to try to run his life.”
Suddenly Haley laughed, then sobered. “Yes, ma’am.”
“Go on, child, and get to work before I turn you over my knee.” Odessa smiled and pointed a finger at her. “Don’t think you’ll ever get too old for that.”
Haley blew her a kiss and walked out the door, knowing she should take her mother’s advice. But she wasn’t about to. If ever anyone had ever needed someone to run his life, it was Jackson Williams.
And she was definitely up to the task.
Collier stood at the window of his office and stared out. The longer he stood there, the sicker he became.
Picketers.
Women picketers, at that, picketing against him. Collier closed his eyes and rubbed his forehead, but when he opened them, the demonstrators hadn’t gone away, nor had his headache. Man, but he was a mess—a pounding head and an upset stomach.
Kyle had been the one who had alerted him. Collier had been poring over another case, since he wasn’t due in court on the harassment case today. The judge was ill with the flu.
“Have you looked outside?” Kyle had demanded, charging in.
“No, why?” Collier had asked, irritated at being disturbed.
“Take a look-see.”
“Why can’t you just tell me, dammit? I’m up to my ass in work here.”
“You need to see for yourself,” Kyle had said, his tone insistent.
It was then that Collier realized his investigator was upset, that his face was drawn tight. Muttering a curse, Collier pushed his chair away from the desk and crossed to the window. Although the official protest hadn’t yet begun, the feminists were organizing, piling out of their cars with signs in hand. One poster caught his eyes right off.
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