by Lori Foster
“What do you have planned today?”
Honor had thought about it earlier, and decided staying busy was the way to go. “I’m going to get started scraping the paint off the house. It looked bad enough already, but now that I have those beautiful seats and cushions, I’m doubly motivated.” She flattened her hands on his chest. “And no, I don’t need your help. You have a customer waiting, so you need to go.”
He glanced over to where the man stood outside his car, staring toward them. “Right.” He tipped up her face. “I’ll be back over later. And tonight we’re grilling out, so you should join us.” He started back-stepping toward his own property. “You’re going to like dinner with friends as much as you like morning coffee visits.”
For her, it was enough that he stayed over each night with her; she didn’t need anything more. Lately, though, it felt like she fought him on everything—there was no reason to debate this, too. “Okay, thanks.”
Surprise flashed over his face, then he grinned. “I call that progress, honey. We’ll get there—one step at a time.”
Progress toward what? Honor had no idea, and since he was already greeting the man who’d come to see him, she didn’t ask. As she gathered up the coffee cups and started inside, her mind jumped ahead to the task at hand.
Anything was better than thinking about tomorrow, but she had to admit, having her own contingent of friends was going to make it much less desolate.
* * *
It wasn’t an easy thing for Jason, watching Honor work all day and not being invited to pitch in. He liked working with his hands, always had. Convincing her of that proved impossible, so he knew offering would be futile—or worse. She tended to take his offers as an insult, as if he thought she couldn’t manage on her own.
He respected her tenacity too much to ever give that impression.
Shooting for subtlety, he did catch her before she really got started so he could show her the right way to wash the house first, using his pressure washer.
She listened intently, then got to it.
That was another nice thing about Honor—her willingness to learn.
In between his own jobs for the day, he moseyed over to check on her headway, and was pleased to see she’d let Colt lend a little elbow grease to the chore. His nephew was tall enough that he could hit a lot of spots without the ladder Honor used, and strong enough that he cleared away peeling paint twice as fast as she could.
By the time Jason finished up an ornate bookshelf, Honor and Colt were around back, working on the last section of the house.
He was headed their way when he heard Honor ask about Colt’s girlfriend.
“She cut me loose.”
Jason froze.
So did Honor—but not for long. “Is she nuts?”
Colt shrugged. “Guess she thought I was, for thinking she’d wait for me.”
After chewing her bottom lip, Honor said, “I suppose it is difficult, keeping up a long-distance relationship.”
“I guess.” Colt pulled off his baseball cap, scratched the top of his head, then stuck the cap on again. “Definitely sucks.”
“You really cared for her?”
“A lot,” he said with emphasis. “At first I kept thinking Dad would get it together and we’d move back home. When he couldn’t find work here, I thought for sure he’d pack it up. That’s not happening, though, so I guess she’s right. It doesn’t make much sense to try to keep things going when we’re in two different cities.”
“I’m so sorry.”
Colt blew out a breath. “I shouldn’t be bothering you with this.”
“You’re not! I want you to feel free to talk with me anytime, about anything.”
He slanted her a look. “The way you don’t talk to anyone else?”
Wow. Score one for Colt. His maturity level amazed Jason.
“That’s different.”
“Nope,” Colt said. “It isn’t. But you’re private. I get that. I’m just saying, if you ever do need to talk, you should understand that you have friends here now.”
Honor set aside her scraper. “I’m catching on to that, I think.” She tipped her head. “But what about you? You don’t have friends here yet?”
“Since I didn’t want to stay, I hadn’t really been looking for any.”
“You still dislike it here so much?”
Colt thought about that, then shook his head. “Not really, no. The people are nice. Uncle Jason’s pretty awesome.”
Jason smiled around his concern.
“But you miss your friends?” Honor asked.
“Sure.” He sent her another long look. “Most of us like friends.”
The dig was lost on Honor. Moving closer, she stared up at him. “I want you to think of me as a... I dunno. A doting aunt or something, okay?”
Jason wondered what she knew about doting aunts, given that hers were selfish nightmares.
Colt choked back a laugh. “Okay, sure.”
“Great.” She inhaled, then said, “You’re a very gorgeous young man.”
Even from where he stood, Jason could see Colt’s ears go red.
Still singing his praises, Honor added, “You’re also tall and athletic and as long as you’re not still hung up on this other girl, you could easily get a new girlfriend.”
“Thanks, but I’m not really interested in that just yet.”
“So maybe date for a while without getting serious. Whatever you want. I’m just saying, it wouldn’t be a problem for you.”
Colt laughed. “Thanks, Aunt Honor.”
She grinned with him. “You’re not shy.”
Like a devil, Colt said, “No, ma’am.”
“And you’re so smart but funny, too, and really sweet and—”
He laughed at her. “Clearly aunts are biased.”
Hands on her slim hips, Honor said, “Stop helping me with junk like this and instead spend your free time checking out the neighborhood girls your own age.”
“Maybe.” He stepped back to survey his work. “But I like helping you, too, so don’t try to get rid of me.”
“Deal.”
Deciding it was past time to announce himself, Jason strode toward them, saying, “Looks like you guys are just about done.”
Colt and Honor both jumped.
Pretending he hadn’t snooped, he checked out the job on the house. “Looks good. Do you have the paint picked out yet?”
“The colors,” she said. “But I haven’t bought it. I wasn’t even sure how many cans I’d need, or if one brand is better than another.” She shaded her eyes with a hand and looked up at him. “I was hoping you could help with that.”
Such a simple thing, a request for advice. But Honor rarely made those moves and damn, it affected him. Looking only at her, he said, “Sure, be glad to. Why don’t we go inside and talk about it?”
Snickering, Colt said, “Yeah, you two go on. I’ll put away the ladder and tools.”
“Colt Guthrie, we just talked about this.”
Hoisting the ladder over one shoulder, Colt said, “Already got it half-done, Aunt Honor.”
She frowned, but a grin snuck in on her anyway. “That boy is incorrigible.”
“And smart and funny and gorgeous,” Colt reminded her with smug humor.
She laughed—and that, too, primed Jason’s need.
“Come along, Honor.” Looping an arm around her shoulders, he propelled her forward around the side of the house. “You need a shower.”
“I thought we were going to talk about paint.”
“Sure.” He got her up the porch steps. “We’ll talk in the shower.”
Honor almost tripped. “We?”
“I’m sweaty, too.” He opened her front door and drew her in.
She finally caught on and even though they were alone in the house, she dropped her voice to a whisper. “We’re going to have sex?”
“Yes.” He got her into the bathroom and pushed back her shower curtain. It amused him th
at every inch of space was taken up by bottles of shampoo, conditioner, lotion, face wash, body oil and more things he couldn’t identify. So much clutter in his own shower would have made him nuts, but Honor moved around it as if it didn’t bother her at all. He turned on the water. “That’s the plan.”
“But...”
“But what?” Jason pulled her T-shirt off over her head. “You don’t want me?”
“I pretty much always want you.”
He paused. “Such a nice admission.”
“It’s true.” Still looking scandalized, she whispered, “But Colt might still be outside.”
“He’s not a dummy. He’s gathered up the rest of stuff and left by now.”
Her eyes went comically wide. “Oh my god.” Color crawled into her face. “You think he knew?”
Jason didn’t have a doubt, but he only shrugged—and unhooked her front-closure bra. It still amazed him that a woman so honestly sexual could be so shy about it.
He stripped the bra away.
Hands to her cheeks, Honor looked around as if expecting someone to see her.
Crowding in close so that he could breathe her in and feel the heat of her small, soft body, Jason opened the snap to her shorts and dragged down the zipper. Sliding both hands into her panties, he pushed them and her shorts past her slim hips until they dropped to her feet.
Heart drumming fast and his dick already reacting, Jason said, “Step out.”
Blinking fast, she did.
God, she was beautiful. And whether she realized it yet or not, she was his.
“One second.” He adjusted the water temp to be tepid, and quickly shucked off his own shorts and boxers.
“This feels really decadent,” Honor said as they stepped under the spray together.
He had an hour, tops, before Hogan would expect them to eat. He hadn’t yet told Honor that Violet and Nathan would be joining them, too. He couldn’t walk her into a group late, so he’d have to expedite things.
He smiled at her as he picked up her scented soap.
Watching him warily, she pushed wet hair out of her face. “Um...”
“Let me take care of you.”
Thinking in the purely sexual sense, Honor agreed. “Okay.”
She didn’t understand that he wanted to take care of her in every way—physically, emotionally and yeah, sexually.
While watching her face, he lathered her head to toe, and all the sweet places between. Like a little hedonist, she gave in, sometimes leaning on him limply, other times gripping him tightly.
Honor was nearing the end of her control, so he turned her to face the spray, and while rinsing her, he ran his hands over her breasts, over her nipples, until she pressed back against him and moaned softly.
Near her ear, he asked, “Ever have shower sex?”
“You know I haven’t.”
The Neanderthal in him liked knowing she’d experience many firsts with him. Of course, before Honor, he hadn’t shown any Neanderthal tendencies.
“Let me wash up real quick.” He reversed their positions so that he was under the spray. He’d just finished soaking his hair when Honor’s arms came around him, her small hands slick with soap.
With her breasts slippery against his back, she teased, “Let me take care of you.”
Jason dropped his arms, wondering what she had in mind.
But a few minutes later, he started to wonder if it was pleasure or pure torture. Staying at his back, Honor kissed him in select places while working her soapy hands across his shoulders, down his spine, across his hips...then she knelt and began working on his thighs.
He locked his knees, feeling her breath on his ass seconds before she took a soft bite.
Remembering what she’d once told him, he said, “Nothing kinky,” in a voice gravelly with lust.
Her laugh teased over him. “Turn around.”
Hell yeah.
Still on her knees, she lathered her hands again, then washed his calves, up his thighs...oh God. Her small hands softly fondled his testicles until he had to brace a hand against the shower wall to stay upright.
“Don’t move,” she told him as she reached past him to rinse her hands, then wrapped them both around his erection.
“Jesus...”
“This is okay?” she whispered, working him in long, slick strokes.
“Yeah.” Better than okay. Seeing Honor on her knees, her face a study in concentration, her eyes dark as she toyed with him, was more than he could take.
He pulled her to her feet.
“What’s wrong?”
“I’m a stroke away from coming. Let me rinse before I lose it.”
Looking hot and turned on with newfound power, she smiled. “I like teasing you.”
“Anytime you have the urge.” He caught her hands when she again reached for him. “Just not right now.”
Her laughter echoed in the shower while he finished washing and rinsing...in under thirty seconds.
Hands shaking, he grabbed for the towels and, to Honor’s amusement, did a cursory rush job on them both. They were still damp when he dropped into the bed with her.
Jason grabbed for a condom, rolled it on and finally pinned Honor down.
She smiled hugely. “Hi.”
“Hi yourself.” God, she was special, in too many ways to count. He kissed the smile off her lips, then wanted to go on kissing her for a lifetime. In so many ways she remained wounded from her youth, but she was also one of the strongest people he’d ever met, and definitely the most caring.
That she was also scorching hot just sealed the deal for him.
She took him by surprise when she pushed against his shoulders. “On your back please.”
After a deep, bracing breath, Jason rolled to his back.
Honor immediately straddled him. “For once, I want to watch you come.”
That almost did it for him right there. But with Honor sitting on him, stroking his body, her breasts there for him to fondle, he didn’t want to miss a thing.
Resting his hands on her thighs, he whispered, “Lean forward.”
“Why?”
He stared into her eyes. “Because I want to suck on your nipples.”
A flush of heat stained her cheeks and she inhaled sharply. With a timid nod, her thighs tight around him, she slowly lowered herself to him.
Jason immediately drew her in, earning a harsh groan. Using both hands, he cupped that luscious little ass, rocking her against him.
He knew she was close when she knotted her hands in his hair. “Jason...”
“So sweet.” He switched to her other nipple, circled with his tongue, gently nipped with his teeth, then tugged carefully.
“Jason,” Honor breathed.
He sucked softly.
Whimpering in need, she breathed, “Now. Right now,” as she straightened away.
She had him, whether she realized it or not.
He was every bit as urgent as her. “Lift up a little.” She flattened her hands on his chest and rose to her knees. To ensure she was ready for him, Jason fingered her damp sex, found her swollen and slick and positioned himself. “Ease down, honey.”
Bottom lip caught in her teeth, she did as told. Jason watched as he penetrated, as his shaft slowly sank into her tender pink folds. So fucking hot. So wet and tight and perfect.
Nails biting into his chest, she paused.
“A little more,” he urged, fighting the need to thrust up into her. This was her show and he didn’t want to steal her thunder.
She took three big breaths and cautiously wiggled down onto him.
Feeling her squeeze every inch of him, Jason growled. “That’s it.”
At first a little awkward, she rocked against him, but in no time she’d found a rhythm she liked.
A rhythm he loved.
By sheer force of will he held back, waiting on her, watching the way her expression changed with the level of her excitement. When he knew she was there, he clasped her hi
ps and helped push her over the edge.
Head back, thighs tensed, she came apart.
The second she mellowed, Jason turned her under him and with three hard thrusts, lost himself to release.
Impossible as it seemed, every time with Honor got better.
He knew it was because he loved her.
Soon he’d have to figure out how she felt.
13
WHEN THEY JOINED the others for dinner, there were a lot of telling looks. But with the funeral tomorrow, everyone treated her with extra care—making sure she knew she had friends without being obvious.
Violet raved over the grilled steaks and praised Hogan on his special stuffed potato recipe, which totally took Hogan off guard. He was used to Violent giving him more guff than Lexie often did. With his brother, Jason thought women either adored him or harassed him. There didn’t seem to be a lot of middle ground. In his opinion, it was the savvier, more independent women who butted heads with Jason’s Casanova brother.
Nathan supplied the beers—with colas for those who wanted them. Colt set up some music and the bonfire lit the yard.
It was always nice, but now, with Honor, it finally felt more like the home he remembered from his childhood.
But truthfully, having Hogan and Colt there helped add to that ambience. It was about family—and the people important to him.
After dinner, they all settled far enough from the fire not to be bothered by the heat. Crickets chirped everywhere, and the croaking of frogs in the creek carried in the breeze. The night was cooler, the sky studded with stars.
Unusually anxious, Diesel took turns going from one person to the next, occasionally curling his lip in a low snarl while staring into the darkness. Eventually he settled down between Honor and Violet, but he stayed on guard.
“Hey,” Jason said to the dog. “You okay, buddy?”
Diesel whined, then sent his steely gaze back to the darkness.
Jason assumed he heard a critter of some sort, since he stared toward the back.
Beer in hand, Nathan studied the dog, glanced thoughtfully around the perimeter, then got up from his seat. “Colt, change chairs with me.”
“Huh? Oh, sure.” Looking pretty clueless as to why, Colt switched with Nathan, then went back to talking to the others, laughing as Violet and Hogan debated the right seasoning for ribs.