She’d only been in bed a few hours when there was a loud knock on the door waking her from a deep dreamless sleep. Stumbling to the door she threw it open expecting Jack, but instead Flynn was standing there. “Sorry to wake you, but Jack sent me to get you. The sheep are looking worse, they didn’t eat last night and one of them had some discharge from its nose.”
Chloe was dressed and out the door in minutes, knowing that every second could be the difference between life and death for the sheep. When she got to the ranch and saw the sheep it was clear that they’d developed a case of pneumonia, which she confirmed after a quick examination.
“We have to get some antibiotics on board as soon as possible, I’m going to need some help.” She said, looking from Flynn to Jack.
“What do you need us to do?” The brothers asked in unison.
“I’ll need one of you to restrain them so I can give them some IV antibiotics and then we’ll have to monitor them closely. I hope we caught it on time, but I’m sure you both know how dangerous this can be, we could lose all three of them if we’re not careful.”
They worked through the night and the next day, giving the sheep not only the antibiotics but fluids and other supportive care. Chloe showed Flynn and Jack how to make a slurry she’d developed herself at the ranch in South Dakota which they fed the sheep every few hours hoping to keep their strength up so they themselves could help fight off the infection.
“If they’re not better tomorrow morning, we’ll have to get a culture to make sure we’re treating the right bug.” Chloe said, preparing for another long night.
“You look tired, you don’t have to stay all night. We can handle this.” Jack said, noticing how tired Chloe looked.
“Jack it’s my job to see that these sheep stay healthy, I’m not going anywhere.” Chloe said, putting her hands on her hips, ready for a fight.
“Okay, I have to admit that it’s good to have you here.” Jack said, quietly.
Chloe knew what it had taken for him to admit that so she made no comment, instead she settled down in the barn for a long night. All night long they took turns getting up and taking care of the sick sheep every few hours, but by the early morning hours they were both exhausted and fell asleep. When she woke, Chloe was surprised to find that she was asleep in Jack’s arms with her head resting on his chest.
Instead of jumping up when she realized that her head was resting on his chest, she laid there for a few minutes enjoying the feeling of being in his arms. Jack stirred slightly when she snuggled deeper into his arms but didn’t wake up, only sighed with contentment and pulled her closer. Chloe wished that she could stay wrapped in his arms forever, but Jack woke up forcing her to untangle herself from his arms.
Embarrassed to have been caught, she stammered, “I’m sorry I guess I fell asleep.”
Jack still foggy from sleep looked at her wondering what she’d done to apologize for, then realized that they’d been curled up together and wondered how it had happened. Then he realized that having Chloe in his arms had been one of the best things he’d felt for a long time. “That’s okay.” He finally muttered and got stiffly to his feet.
Much to their relief the sheep looked much better that morning, the pneumonia had clearly responded to the antibiotics she’d chosen. They were still in danger, but nowhere near what they’d been before, the all-night vigil had done what she’d hoped. Still, she was almost sorry to see the night end, for the first time she and Jack had worked together instead of against one another, and to her surprise they’d made a good team.
When Flynn and Owen arrived at the barn, she was almost sorry to see them, but she was filthy and exhausted even with the naps she’d managed to get in. “Just keep doing what we’ve been doing for the rest of the day. I’ve given them their antibiotics, but keep feeding them the slurry every two hours for the rest of the day. I’ll be back tonight to give them another dose of medicine. Right now I’ve got to get some sleep.” Chloe said, packing up her medical bag and heading to her truck.
She’d been avoiding looking at Jack sure that her face would give away her feelings, but he was so excited that the sheep were better that he picked her up and swung her around. “Thank you.” He said, when he set her down, his blue eyes meeting her brown ones, the gratitude clear.
But what had been gratitude quickly turned to desire when his arms tightened around her and his eyes met hers. She couldn’t help but let out a little sigh at the feel of his strong arms around her and the corresponding wave of desire that rippled through her body. Pulling out of his arms, sure that if she didn’t she’d do something embarrassing, she searched for something to say.
“It wasn’t just me, you’ve been here too.” She said, her voice coming out in a whisper.
Jack as if completely unaware of his brothers’ presence, stroked her cheek with his thumb and said, “But I couldn’t have done it without you.” Then bent his head down and kissed her, unable to stop himself.
Chapter 9
Chloe knew that Jack was going to kiss her and she did nothing to stop him, wanting the kiss as much as he wanted to give it. But when the kiss was over and she realized that they had an audience, she blushed and quickly packed her bag and left. It was rude but she couldn’t face Flynn and Owen who had silently watched the whole thing. Once back at her cabin, she quickly took a shower planning to get some much-needed rest, but she’d just thrown on her favorite shirt when there was a knock on the door.
Unlike the other times that Jack had knocked on her door, this time he knocked quietly part of him hoping that Chloe wouldn’t answer. He should have been going to pick Josh up from Paige and Cooper’s house, but when he’d called to say he was on his way, Paige had told him to get some sleep first, but instead of sleeping his feet had taken him straight out of his cabin and over to Chloe’s.
He’d had no idea what he was going to do when she opened the door, but only one look at her was all it took for him to understand what he’d come over for. It was probably the worst idea he’d ever had, but all he could think about was Chloe and how it had felt to have her in his arms, both last night and again this morning. He hadn’t planned to kiss her again this morning, but he’d been unable to resist once she was in his arms.
When Chloe saw him in her doorway, she started to ask him what was wrong, but one look at this face told her everything she needed to know. This visit wasn’t about the sheep or about Josh. This time he’d come for her and only her. It should have scared her, but instead she felt her blood begin to pump in her veins and the desire begin to build. No man had ever looked at her like Jack was doing right now and it was impossible to resist when without a word he took her into his arms and brought his mouth down on hers.
Abandoning all her reservations about becoming involved with Jack, she gave herself up to the moment, the need for words between them nonexistent. Chloe was stiff in Jack’s arms for only a second, the kiss melting any resistance she might have had. But he was very conscious of the fact that what had started out as a purely physical attraction had turned into so much more than that, he desperately wanted to explain to her what he was feeling but couldn’t put the words together, so he showed her instead.
This time instead of being gentle the kiss was demanding, Jack’s tongue darting in and out of her mouth, teasing her one minute then pleasing her in the next. Desire so powerful she found it hard to breathe poured through her and she knew that she was powerless to stop what was going to happen. A part of her knew that she didn’t want to stop it and had in fact been waiting for this moment for weeks.
Jack’s hands began to explore her body, each and every curve, as he continued to kiss her, part of him wanting to take her right then and there, but the last rational part of his brain knowing that if he went too fast she’d pull away. He moved slowly, running his hands up and down her back, then lower, his hands finding her ample buttocks and pulling her against him making Chloe gasp when she felt his erection pressing up against her.
Scooping her up in his arms, he carried her back to the bedroom and laid her on the bed, knowing that he was risking her becoming aware of what was happening but not wanting to proceed without her full participation. When Chloe stretched her arms out to him, he willingly sank onto the bed with her and covered her mouth with his again, determined to give her as much pleasure as he could.
Chloe had never been one to do anything halfway and now that she’d decided to let this happen, she gave herself to Jack with total abandon, something she’d never done with a man before, not even Brandon. If she’d been thinking then, she might have wondered why she could so completely trust Jack when she’d only known him for such a short time, but her brain wasn’t functioning just then. All she could do was feel, and what she felt was incredible, Jack made her feel alive in ways she’d never dreamed were possible before.
When Jack’s hand slid up her body and found one of her breasts she whimpered with pleasure and arched her back. Jack growled deep in his throat and unbuttoned the shirt to expose her breasts, which were already swollen with pleasure. He kissed his way down her neck and across her chest until his mouth came in contact with her taunt nipple and sucked it into his mouth. Chloe squirmed under him, her body demanding more, which Jack was happy to give.
The hand that had been massaging her breast slid down her stomach and gently spread her legs, making it difficult for Chloe to breathe. Jack slid his hand under the elastic band of her panties then he slid them down her legs and over her feet, his eyes drinking in every detail of her naked body. Chloe normally would have been embarrassed to have a man so openly examine her, but when Jack growled deep in his throat her embarrassment vanished, replaced by a desire so consuming all she could do was lie there shaking with anticipation.
“You’re very beautiful Chloe.” Jack said before his mouth found hers again, making her heart soar with happiness and her body tremble with desire. “I’m going to make love to you like I’ve been wanting to do since the moment I saw you.”
Jack’s words melted the very last bit of her resistance and she spread her legs for him in an invitation that he couldn’t resist. His mouth found her breast again, while his hand trailed down her stomach to caress the inside of her thighs, his large hands as gentle as if he was handling a lamb. Chloe had never felt a need so deep inside her, the delicious coils of pleasure forming a tight knot in her belly, her body responding to his caresses in a way it had never done before.
When Jack’s fingers finally delved between her folds, it was to find Chloe wet and ready for him, her juices hot and slick on his fingers. He stroked her until she was wild with pleasure, but didn’t take her over the edge wanting to prolong the pleasure for both of them. He knew that once he was inside her, there would be nothing soft or gentle about their love making. He was just as frantic as she was, barely holding onto his own control.
Chloe knew that she should be participating in what was happening, but the pleasure that Jack was giving her had left her immobilized, his to do with as he pleased. Her pleasure was what was on his mind and he buried his finger deep inside her welcoming body, his thumb still stroking her clit. He watched her face as her orgasm rocked through her, her body trembling with the force of her pleasure, making him want to burry himself deep inside her.
As the pleasure began to recede, Chloe felt a longing that she’d never felt before, could hardly even name. But Jack knew what she wanted and moved between her legs, spreading them even further. When his eyes met hers, all she could do was whimper with need, but that was all it took for Jack to know that she wanted him as much as he wanted her. The time for gentleness long past, he buried himself deep inside her, her body accepting his as if they were made for one another.
Pausing to enjoy the feeling of her velvety softness, he stopped before pulling almost of out her and then buried himself inside her again and again. Unable and unwilling to stop, he filled her over and over again until he knew she was on the brink of orgasm again. Then he stopped and looked down at her under him until she squirmed and brought him almost to the edge. He tried to slow things down, but his body was too far gone for that kind of control and when Chloe grabbed his butt and pulled him deeper inside her, his orgasm came like a bolt of lightning shocking them both and taking Chloe over the edge again.
Bodies satiated with satisfaction and the release they’d both been seeking for so long, Jack gathered Chloe in his arms, unwilling to let go of her just yet. Chloe loved the feeling of Jack’s strong arms around her and soon fell asleep with her head resting on his chest, more content than she’d ever been before in her life. At the sound of Chloe’s quiet snores, he smiled and let himself fall asleep as well.
Chloe woke up hours later to the sound of Jack’s heart beating and his body pressed up against hers. For a moment she relished the feeling, but then the reality of what she’d just done came crashing in on her and she sat up shocked that she’d let him make love to her. She scrambled out of bed and quickly put on her shirt, embarrassed that she’d showed so little restraint, and horrified that all she wanted to do was let him do it again.
Jack watched the emotions play across Chloe’s face, knowing exactly what she was thinking, not the least bit sorry they’d made love and to him that was exactly what they’d done. This was clearly more than just a sexual experience, he’d had plenty of those in his life and he knew the difference. What he was going to do from here, he had no idea, but he did know that it involved Chloe who had just reminded him how wonderful love could be.
He knew that she wanted him to leave, but that was the last thing he was planning to do. Josh was safely tucked away for the night and he was far from finished with Chloe, he’d only begun to discover the passion he knew was simmering inside her. He got out of bed slowly, then slipped on his jeans and crossed the room to where Chloe had backed herself into a corner, her face flaming with embarrassment.
When he started to reach for her, she held up her hands in front of her and said, “Jack that shouldn’t have happened.” Her voice pleading with him to walk away.
“I think you’re wrong.” He said, pushing her hands down and taking her into his arms.
Chloe opened her mouth to protest, but Jack captured it with his own, silencing any protest she would have made. “How about if we don’t think about tomorrow, let’s just enjoy tonight, the future will take care of itself.” He said, when he’d kissed Chloe until her blood had begun to sing again.
She looked up at him trying to understand what he meant by those words, but then he kissed her again and she didn’t want to resist any longer. For once in her life, she wasn’t going to think about the future, she was just going to live in the moment. She knew that it was a mistake to give in to Jack, but one taste of the pleasure he could give her wasn’t enough, just thinking about how wonderful his body felt joined to hers started that tingle between her legs.
Throwing caution to the wind she reached up and kissed him, Michelle’s advice echoing in her head. She’d never been this reckless before, but maybe it was time to do something crazy, something that made absolutely no sense. Jack moaned deep in his chest when Chloe slid her tongue into his mouth, then bit his lip playfully, his mind already imagining the things he was going to do to Chloe. But before they could take it any further, Chloe’s stomach growled loudly, interrupting the kiss.
“Sounds like someone is hungry and now that I think about it, I could eat.” Jack said, then laughed when Chloe blushed in embarrassment.
“I didn’t eat anything this morning, and it’s almost dinner time.”
Jack just shook his head, then took her hand and led
her to the kitchen. “Let’s see what we can find to eat.” He said, opening the refrigerator.
“I haven’t bought groceries in a while, I don’t know how much you’ll find in there.” Chloe said, looking into the refrigerator over his shoulder.
“Well, there’s some eggs and cheese. Looks like it’s omelets for dinner.” Jack said, piling her arms with bits and pieces he’d found in the fridge.
By the time he was done, her arms were full of an interesting array of ingredients but she was in danger of dropping everything. “Umm, Jack I might need a little help here.” She said, the pile in her arms beginning to shift.
Jack pulled his head out of the refrigerator and grabbed the eggs that were about to fall. “Sorry I got carried away.” He said, setting the eggs on the counter.
Then he kissed her on the forehead before taking everything else from her hands. With that one little gesture, Chloe felt her heart melting a little more. How such a simple gesture could be so intimate she wasn’t sure, but that little kiss affected her almost as much as everything they’d done earlier that day. Shaking off the feeling, she sat down at the table and watched Jack’s expert hands cut and chop, stir and beat and sauté, until there was a wonderful smell taking over the kitchen.
Chloe had already asked once if he wanted some help but he’d refused, still she felt guilty watching him work while she just sat and watched. “Are you sure I can’t help you?”
“I’ve got this under control, but you could make some coffee if you want to.” Jack said, pouring the eggs into the pan.
“Coffee? Isn’t it a little late for that. If I drink coffee now, I’ll never be able to sleep.”
Jack turned from the stove and met her eyes across the room desire blossoming as he looked at her. Chloe’s body responded immediately, a tingle deep inside making her suck in a breath. “Well that’s good because I didn’t plan on us sleeping much tonight.” He said, the meaning of his words all too clear to Chloe.
Be My Everything (Brothers From Money Book 11) Page 9