by Anne Rainey
When her soft body molded to his, he went a little wild. In that moment, Vance knew he would do anything, say anything to keep her close. The idea that she had so much control over him bothered him to no end.
Vance lifted his head and stared down at her. Her eyes were closed, and her face was flushed. He stared at the soft, black sweater covering her heaving breasts and the snug-fitting jeans that emphasized her gorgeous curves and knew he would never be able to walk away from her. She fucking owned him. When she shook her head and opened her eyes, Vance could see the worry in the pretty green depths.
“What’s wrong?” he asked, all but holding his breath.
“You know the answer to that. I want more from you, Vance. I want some indication that you feel something other than chemistry here.”
“I do,” he bit out.
She rolled her eyes. “I’ve told you I love you twice now. You never said a word either time.”
She was pushing for a commitment, but Vance’s heart rebelled. She’d burned him once. Even if it wasn’t her idea and she’d had no say in the matter, it still had him erring on the side of caution now. “We’re good together, honey,” he offered. “Can’t that be enough for now?”
Vance didn’t give Shayla time to respond as he bent his knees and lifted her into his arms. He took her to her bedroom and flipped on the light. Her eyes shot wide, and he saw realization dawn.
“Vance, please,” she pleaded, “we need to talk.”
“We will,” he promised as he bent his head and covered her mouth with his. It lasted only a few seconds before Shayla pulled back and moaned, “I can’t do this.”
“Yes,” he growled, “you can, dammit.” He let her pull away, but only because he had other plans. Vance enjoyed kissing Shayla, but there were other, more exciting things he wanted to do with her—like drive her wild with pleasure. Anything but think about love and commitment, two things he’d managed to successfully avoid for the last twelve years.
Vance placed her on the bed, then moved on top of her. When she turned her head away, he took her face in his hands and forced her to look at him. “Do I stay or go, Shay?” he asked her in a gentle voice. “I won’t touch you unless it’s what you want. I swear it.”
She brought her hand to his face and caressed his jaw. “I always want you, Vance.”
He touched a freckle next to her lip and asked, “Even when I make you angry?”
A smile played at her mouth, and Vance let out a long breath. “I might want to strangle you, but that doesn’t seem to dampen my desire one iota.”
Vance moved between her legs and unbuttoned her jeans. “I think about you twenty-four hours a day. When I’m brushing my teeth, I imagine your pretty smile. When I’m going over a bid, your soft voice in my head breaks my concentration.” Vance saw fire spark in Shayla’s green eyes. “It’s been over twelve hours since I last tasted you, honey. I’m going crazy.”
Her cheeks bloomed pink at his erotic words. So sweet and yet so full of passion, that was his Shay. Vance took his time removing her clothes. Her jeans went first, then her sweater and bra. Her distended, mauve nipples beckoned him to suck. The soft red curls covering her mound were still hidden from his view by a pair of black silk panties. “That won’t do,” he said as he took hold of them in both hands and yanked, effortlessly tearing the flimsy material. He tossed them aside, pleased now that her glistening curls were visible.
“Those weren’t cheap, Vance Jennings,” she muttered.
“I’ll replace them,” he vowed. “Black. Red. White. Any color you want, honey.” Staring at the beauty of her pussy, Vance murmured, “Fuck, you are one sexy woman. Wet and so damn lickable.”
“Oh, Vance,” she moaned.
“Put your legs over my shoulders,” he instructed her. She did as he bid, and the position put the apex of her thighs directly in line with his mouth. Vance’s cock hardened at the luscious sight. He grasped her hips, then pulled her closer and placed a soft kiss against her pussy. “Mm, that’s the flavor I’ve been craving,” he whispered as he used his thumbs to spread her pussy lips open, exposing her clitoris. He sucked it into his greedy mouth. Fuck, he was starving for some of her sweet cream.
Emotions tore at him as his tongue moved inside her succulent channel. His hands clasped her bottom, bringing her more fully against his mouth before he delved deeper. Vance groaned as Shayla raked her fingers through his hair and clutched on to him as if for dear life. When he flicked his tongue over and around her clit, she breathed out his name. It was the sweetest sound he’d ever heard. Over and over, Vance played with her puffy, sensitive lips and extended clit.
All too quickly, her thighs began to quiver, and her body arched upward. Shayla screamed as her sweet honey flowed into his hungry mouth. Her legs fell to the mattress, and Vance relished the sight of her totally replete and at his mercy. He couldn’t take his eyes off her. She was so open and trusting in that moment. He’d never seen a more beautiful sight. He kissed her mound and lifted to his knees. When her drowsy gaze landed on him, he wondered for a second what it would be like to see her this way every morning. It’d be a hell of a way to start the day.
“You’re rotten,” she muttered, pouting. “A dirty rotten scoundrel.”
The words were unexpected, and Vance laughed aloud. “You didn’t like it, huh?”
When her eyes began to twinkle with mischief, Vance knew he was in big trouble. Shayla sat up and pushed against his chest. “Lie down,” she ordered.
Vance was no dummy. He did as he was told. Her hands went to the fly of his jeans, and his cock flexed in expectation. When she had them open, Vance took over, pushing them down his hips and legs until they pooled at his feet. He kicked, and they fell to the end of the bed.
“I’m all yours, Shay,” he growled.
When her lips kissed the head of his cock, Vance groaned. All reason fled, and his blood rushed south. Tender little touches of her tongue drew a primitive response in him. He placed his hands on either side of her head and showed her the way he liked it. Soon she took over, and Vance was putty in her hands.
“That’s it, suck it, Shay,” Vance murmured.
Her eyelids drifted downward, and with one hand, Shayla guided him between her lips. A few inches of his dick was all she could manage, but it was enough to have precome dripping from the bulbous tip. She licked and teased, and his balls drew up tight. Vance clutched a fistful of her hair and pulled her mouth onto him a little more. She arched her neck and took him to the back of her throat. She moaned, and the sound vibrated clear down the length of his cock.
“Jesus,” he gritted out, hanging on to his control by a thin thread.
She sucked hard, and her hand moved to his balls, squeezing and fondling. When Shayla pulled his rigid length all the way out and placed a gentle kiss to the slit in the head, Vance cursed. She swept her soft tongue down the underside of his cock, as if she had all night to lick and play.
Vance groaned her name. It seemed to spark something wild in Shayla, and she began moving faster, sucking harder. It was as if she was hungry for his climax. The idea sent Vance over the edge.
He pumped her mouth, once, twice, and then he was shooting his come onto her waiting tongue and down her throat.
A few seconds passed before Shayla released him and sat up. Her lips were red and swollen. With her curvy body on display and her heart in her eyes, Vance knew it was a sight that would surely be etched into his brain forever.
“Now are you ready to talk?” Shayla asked as she planted her hands on her hips.
“Honey, I can’t even think straight much less hold a conversation after that.”
She swatted his thigh and got off the bed. “I knew you’d say that.” She pointed to the door and said, “You need to leave. Now.”
Vance stiffened. “Whoa, you’re throwing me out?”
“Yes,” she gritted out. “I don’t want to be a convenient plaything to you, Vance. I want more than that.”
&n
bsp; Her words had him alert and angry in an instant. He shot off the bed and moved toward her. “Is that what you really think of me? That I’m that much of a bastard?”
She threw her hands in the air. “I don’t know what to think,” she tossed back. “All I know for sure is that you won’t talk to me. For whatever reason, you refuse to open up to me. I need more than that. I need a man who will want me for more than sex.”
In a heartbeat, he took hold of her arms and yanked her against him. “The only man you need is me.”
She wiggled her shoulders, and he let her go. “Yes, I know,” she said. “I love you and only you.” He watched her walk to her closet, his eyes drawn to the delectable sight of her ass. She pulled out an oversize pink terrycloth robe. After she had it belted, she said, “The problem is, you don’t need me. See how this is all one-sided?”
Vance felt cornered, and he wasn’t even sure why. He didn’t know what to say to make it right. She was right about one thing. She did deserve a man who could give her 100 percent. Could he do that? “I care about you,” he blurted out. “More than any woman I’ve ever known.”
Shayla sighed and stepped toward him. She placed her palm against his cheek and murmured, “I’m rushing you, and that’s not fair. I’ve only been back in your life a few days, I know, but I’ve imagined this moment for so long. I’ve thought about it over and over. Blackwater is my home. I want a family of my own. I want to raise kids here. My whole life I’ve let someone else tell me who I should be and what I should do. Those days are over. I came back because I wanted another chance with you. You’re the man I think of when I imagine my future. Only you.” She closed her eyes tight and groaned. “Oh, God, I’m sorry. This is too much too soon.”
He took her hand and kissed the palm. “Don’t ever be sorry for coming back to me. For loving me. There have been a lot of screwed-up things in my life, but you wanting me isn’t one of them, honey.”
She nodded. “Still, I do think we need a few days apart. To think straight. I don’t want you regretting anything.”
He started to protest because the idea of being away from her sent cold chills down his spine, but he knew she had a valid point. Besides, the strength of his emotions was beginning to scare the shit out of him. In a matter of days she’d wiggled her way back into his life, and, he was afraid to admit, his heart. “Maybe a few days to clear my head would do us both some good,” he hedged, still unsure. She started to move away from him, but he held her firm. “Only a few days, though.”
She smiled up at him. “I told you before, I’m here to stay. I’m not going anywhere. Not ever again.”
He knew she meant every word, but Vance still felt as if he’d screwed up. As if he’d lost something precious.
Chapter Eleven
A week. It’d been exactly seven days since he’d seen Shayla last. Oh, they talked day and night and even sent text messages back and forth, but it wasn’t the same. He missed her. Missed touching her. Missed looking into her beautiful eyes.
But even Vance had to admit that the time apart had been the very thing to force him to evaluate his feelings for Shayla. Still, when they’d talked that morning, Shayla hadn’t said “I love you” at the end of the conversation, and he hadn’t been able to say it yet either. Vance felt her slipping away, and he needed advice. Preferably from someone who had been there and done that.
When he stepped into his mom’s house, the only true home he’d ever known, Vance called out, “Mom?”
“In here,” she called back.
The first thing that hit him when he walked into the kitchen was the smell of his mom’s cinnamon rolls. “Something smells awesome.”
“You’re just in time, dear.” She scooped up a couple of the warm, sweet treats and placed them on a small plate, then set them in the center of the table. “Have a seat while I get the milk.”
His stomach growled. “You won’t get any arguments from me,” he said as he pulled out a chair.
After she poured them each a glass, she sat down. “So, besides your sweet tooth, what brings you by? I thought you’d be hard at work at the diner.”
“I need some advice,” he mumbled around a mouthful of pastry.
Her eyes brightened. “I love giving advice. Shoot.”
“It’s Shayla,” he blurted out. “I think I’m in love with her.”
His mom’s eyes lit with amusement. “You think?”
He bit into the roll, and the taste of cinnamon and icing hit his tongue. Damn, his mom sure could cook. “See, that’s the thing. How do you know it’s the real deal? How did you know Dad was the one for you?”
She took a sip of her milk before she replied. “Because he drove me crazy.”
Confused, Vance asked, “Come again?”
She swiped a finger in the icing, brought it to her mouth and licked it off. “My emotions were all over the place whenever your dad was near. No man had ever managed to make me lose my temper one minute and laugh the next.”
He understood now. “Shayla is beautiful and strong and intelligent, and she makes me laugh,” he said as he took another bite. “I can’t stop thinking about her.”
She quirked a brow. “And how does she feel about you?”
Vance cringed, suddenly not real interested in the dessert. “Well, right now she probably wishes I’d jump off a bridge.”
She chuckled, then tore off a piece of the roll and popped it into her mouth. After she swallowed, she said, “If the look in her eyes when you brought her to the diner the other night was any indication, then I highly doubt it, Vance.”
His mom’s words gave him hope. “She told me she loved me, and I sort of froze.”
“Well, it is awfully soon. Especially for you.”
Vance stiffened. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“You aren’t the impulsive one that your brother Reilly is, dear. You always think a thing through. You have to look at it from several different angles before you make a decision. It’s what makes you good at your job.”
Vance knew his mom had it right. “It might be a good trait to have in business, but I’m afraid it might’ve caused me to lose the only woman I’ve ever really cared about.”
“So, go to her,” she urged him as she placed her hand on his. “Be impulsive, just this once. What could it hurt?”
“And if she decides later on that I’m not worth sticking around for?” he asked, voicing his worst fear. “What then?”
“Is that what’s bothering you?” she asked as her eyes widened. “That she’ll leave again?”
“Yes. No. I don’t know,” he admitted. “Why me?”
“I’m not following you,” she replied, clearly confused.
“Shayla could have any man she wants, Mom. Why would she want me? Hell, I don’t even know who my biological father is, and my biological mother wanted drugs more than she wanted me. How am I a catch?”
“Well, let’s see.” She held up a hand. “You’re honest,” she said as she began ticking off his attributes with her fingers. “Intelligent. Kind. You have your own successful business, and it doesn’t hurt that you’re gorgeous. She’s lucky to have you, if you ask me.”
Vance shook his head at his mother’s description of him. “You know, a few weeks ago I would’ve laughed if someone said I’d be getting love-life advice from my mom. Yet, here I sit.”
She sat up straighter and stuck her nose in the air. “What can I say, you came to the best.”
He laughed and sat back in his chair. “Okay, love guru, any advice on how I should proceed?”
“Tell her how you feel. Don’t hold back,” she offered in a stronger tone. “There’s no room for pride and ego between a man and a woman, Vance.”
She was right, and he knew it. A plan started to form in his mind, and Vance felt better than he had in days. “Thanks, Mom,” he said as he leaned across the table and kissed her cheek.
“Any time, son,” she said with a smile. “Now, finish your roll.”
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He chuckled. “Yes, ma’am.”
Butterflies took flight in Shayla’s stomach as she watched Vance pace her living room. He’d called her earlier and asked if he could come over. He’d said he needed to talk about their relationship. Shayla hadn’t been able to figure out his mood over the phone, but watching him now scared her to no end.
“Vance, is something wrong? You’re beginning to worry me.”
He stopped and looked at her. “I reacted like an ass when you told me you loved me,” he explained as he crossed the room. When only a few feet of tan carpet separated them, he said, “It scared me because I’m afraid…I’m afraid of losing you again.” He frowned and looked down at the floor. “The thing is, Shay, you make me feel…needy. The Jennings men do not like to feel out of control.” He shrugged, and his gaze met hers once more. “It goes against our grain.” He closed the gap between them and stroked her cheek with his thumb and murmured, “You send me out of control every time you’re near, honey.”
Oh boy, did she understand that feeling all too well. “This may come as a shock, but the Jennings bunch aren’t the only people who hate that feeling.”
Vance’s eyes held hers captive as he wrapped his hand around the nape of her neck and drew her close. “Yeah, I’m beginning to see that,” he murmured as he kissed her. It was so quick and gentle, Shayla barely had time to take in his clean, masculine scent before he pulled away.
“I’ve laid awake nights thinking of you,” Vance admitted. “Thinking of your cries of passion, your laughter, your pretty little freckles.”
Shayla didn’t have time to digest his words. Suddenly, his hands were everywhere. He stripped her out of her clothes so fast her head started to spin. She nearly forgot her own name when his warm fingers skimmed over her breasts. She moaned, aching for him. The last seven days had been nothing but torture without him.
“I love you, Shay,” he whispered. “Hell, I think I’ve always loved you.”