by Cher Carson
“Don’t move,” he warned.
She opened her eyes and found his gaze locked on her. He looked so dangerous, so intense. It turned her on, big time.
“Do you like the way that feels?” he asked, shifting it slightly so his hand was moving in a circular motion.
“I don’t know,” she whispered, closing her eyes as she leaned her head against the cool tile wall.
“Just get lost in it,” he said. “Nothing else exists, just that sensation of the water pulsing against your clit, taking you higher, closer…”
His words were hypnotic, and she felt herself falling under the power of his erotic spell where suddenly nothing else existed. Just the peak she was climbing, the sensations rioting around in her body, the pounding in her chest, her head, between her legs. Her legs were trembling, her pussy was clenching, and suddenly she was crying out as her whole body started pulsating with the force of her orgasm.
“That’s it,” he whispered. “Just give in to it, baby. Let yourself go. I’ve got you.”
She was vaguely aware of him securing the hand-held unit to the wall as her body began to descend the slope.
He knelt down in front of her, brushing his palm across her cheek. “You think you’re ready to get out?”
Her legs felt weak, shaky. She didn’t trust them to support her weight just yet. “Give me a minute,” she muttered, trying to focus on her erratic breathing.
“Take all the time you need,” he said. “I’m going to grab us a couple of towels. Just give me a second.”
She wasn’t so out of it that she couldn’t appreciate her unobstructed view of his incredible ass as he stepped out of the shower. The man could be an underwear model, gracing the pages of international magazines. Why he chose to waste his days on construction sites was beyond her, but she was glad he did. The thought of thousands of women ogling her man didn’t sit well. Her man. She smiled, loving the way that sounded.
He chuckled as he stepped back into the shower with an oversized towel. “What’s that Cheshire Cat grin about, sexy?” He pulled her to her feet before wrapping the towel around her shoulders.
Dare she tell him the truth? “I was just thinking about how happy I am that you’re mine.”
He paused, his lips hovering just above hers and she realized he seemed stunned. Okay, maybe full disclosure wasn’t the best policy. When a full minute passed, she was officially mortified. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean…”
He held the back of her head as he stared into her eyes. “I just realized that’s all I’ve ever wanted. Jesus, I’ve always hated jealous, possessive women…”
She blanched when she realized he may consider her one of them, based on her comment. “I’m really not like that. I just…”
“Honey, stop.” He pressed a finger to her lips. “Listen to me. I want to be your man. I need you, only you.”
She smiled, relief washing over her, warming her. “I feel the same way.”
Shane woke up the next day, cursing the neon lights on his alarm clock. He didn’t want to get out of bed. He wanted to spend the rest of the day holding Lacy in his arms, making love to her.
The cell phone on his bedside table rang. He answered it quickly, so as not to disturb Lacy. “What’s up, Jay?”
“Hey, I’m at the office. Where the hell are you? I thought we were gonna go and look at that duplex this morning. We’ve got an appointment with the realtor in an hour.”
Shane was rarely late for appointments. Of course, he’d never had such a compelling reason to stay in bed. “Call her and tell her to push it back an hour. I’m just gonna jump in the shower now.”
“You overslept? That doesn’t sound like you.”
He knew he’d have to tell Jason about Lacy sometime, but their relationship had been strained ever since he’d walked in on them in bed together. He didn’t relish the idea of telling him she’d agreed to move in with him. “Listen, man, there’s something you need to know. Lacy’s coming back to work for us.”
There was a beat of silence on the other end of the line before he responded. “Okay, that’s good. We need her. So, you gonna send her over to the triplex today?”
“Yeah, that’s the plan.” Shane hesitated. “There’s something else you need to know.” He glanced at Lacy, who pulled the duvet up to cover her exposed shoulders. He couldn’t tell if she was sleeping, but her eyes were still closed.
“Okay, what is it?”
“I’ve asked Lacy to move in with me, and she agreed.” He waited until the silence became unbearable. “Would you say something, Jay?”
“You want me to congratulate you? Fuck that.”
It took him a minute to realize his brother had disconnected the call. Sighing, he set the phone down on the night table. Jay would get over this. He didn’t have a choice. Lacy was a part of his life now, and he’d just have to keep his feelings for her in check. He was pissed off to know that his own brother might be harboring feelings for his woman, but he knew he couldn’t control the way Jay felt. They would just have to find a way to get past this, and they would. It would just take some time.
“You okay?” Lacy asked, rolling over.
She looked rumpled, sleepy, and breathtakingly beautiful.
He leaned in, kissing her cheek. “I’m good, baby, you?”
She smiled, burying her face in the blanket. “I don’t think incredible would be an overstatement.”
He stroked her hair, pushing it back off her forehead. This was the way he planned to start every day from now on. “I’m so glad you’re here,” he whispered.
“Me too.” She slid closer, burrowing her head under his chin as she wrapped her arm around his waist. “Last night was amazing.”
He’d wanted to make love to her when they got home. But twice in the car, coupled with their interlude in the shower, and he knew she would be too sore to walk today if he didn’t rein it in. “That was Jay,” he said quietly, stroking her bare back.
She tipped her head to look at him. “What did he say?”
“It doesn’t matter.” He wouldn’t let anything or anyone interfere with the happiness they’d found, not even his little brother. “Listen, I told him you are coming back to work for us.”
“How did he feel about that?”
“He’s on board. He knows we need you.” He threaded his fingers through her hair, pulling her head back so he could look her in the eye. “I need you, Lacy.”
She smiled, kissing him. “I’m glad to hear that.” Biting her lip, she asked, “You sure things won’t be weird with Jason?”
He wasn’t going to sugar-coat it for her. He wanted her to be prepared if Jason gave her a hard time when he got her alone, not that he wouldn’t give Jay fair warning. If his brother made things difficult for Lacy, he would return the favor in spades. “He’s pissed that we’re together, but he’ll get over it.”
She shook her head, looking sad. “I wish it didn’t have to be this way. I like your brother, I do, but it’s always been you. I was never interested in him.”
He smiled, pulling her into the protective circle of his arms. “I’m glad to hear that.”
“Do we have time for breakfast before we leave?”
He chuckled. “Honey, there are all kinds of perks when you’re sleeping with the boss.”
She slapped his chest, laughing. “Stop! You go and get in the shower while I make breakfast.” She sat up and looked at him over her shoulder. “Assuming you have the staples?”
“Sure. I’m not one of those bachelors who only has beer and expired milk in the fridge. In fact, you make breakfast, and I’ll make dinner for you tonight.”
Her mouth fell open. “You cook, too?”
He laughed at her shocked expression. “I don’t know if I’d go that far, but my buddies call me the grill-master.”
She offered her hand. “You’ve got yourself a deal, Mr. Stafford.”
He clasped her hand, turning it over to kiss it. “I look forward to it, Miss Watson.” He couldn�
��t wait for the day when he could call her Mrs. Stafford.
Chapter Twelve
Lacy was cooking bacon in the skillet when Shane came up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist. He smelled clean and spicy, the scent reminding her of their erotic shower last night. She blushed at the memory. “I hope you like omelets?” she asked, setting the crisp strips of bacon on a plate lined with paper towels.
He kissed her neck. “I’m starving, but food’s the last thing on my mind.”
She loved that he couldn’t seem to get enough of her. She felt the same way. Slapping his forearm, she laughed. “You’re going to have to wait until tonight to satisfy that craving. We both have to work today.”
He leaned up against the counter, facing her. “Have you had any staging jobs the past few weeks?”
She nodded as she tended to the cheese omelet in the neighboring skillet. “Yeah, a small new home builder hired me to stage one of his model homes. He has a bigger development he’s working on with three other builders after this, so it could be a lucrative contract for me.”
He frowned. “I hope you’re still going to have time for our projects?”
She smiled, patting his cheek. “I’ll always make time for you, sweetheart.”
He reached into the overhead cabinet to retrieve two plates, setting them on the ornate wood table in the middle of the spacious kitchen. He turned to face her and asked, “Is there anything about this place you’d like to change?”
Shane’s home was beautiful. It was a spacious two-story stone and stucco home set in the midst of a private enclave of similar homes with a ravine running through the large backyards. They backed onto green space, which could be seen from three walkouts facing the rear of the property. The furnishings were decidedly masculine, with lots of leather and dark wood, but she thought it was a perfect reflection of him.
“No, I wouldn’t change a thing. Your home is beautiful, Shane.”
He reached into the cutlery drawer. “I want you to feel at home here, baby. Anything you want to do or change, I’m good with that.” He chuckled. “Except for the man-cave in the basement. That room is off limits.”
She rolled her eyes. “I wouldn’t dream of messing with your man-cave. Seriously, I wouldn’t change a thing. The house is perfect.” She set the omelets on a platter she’d extracted from an overhead cabinet. “It’s a little big for one person though.”
He winked. “Yeah, but now I won’t be living here alone, will I?”
Imagining living in a home like this was hard for her. The house she’d shared with her mother and brother was more like a tiny cottage, and she’d made do with studio apartments ever since. She couldn’t imagine how they would ever utilize all this space. “How many bedrooms do you have?”
“We have four bedrooms,” he said carefully, claiming a spot at one end of the large table. “Lace, it’s important to me that you think of this as your home, too. If you don’t think you can do that, we can always sell it and buy a place together.”
Wow, she couldn’t believe he would be willing to sell his home just to make her happy. She’d done some research on the upscale neighborhoods in the area when she moved to the city hoping to establish her business. She knew this small enclave of homes was custom-built by an estate builder not more than three years ago. This was probably his dream home, yet he was willing to sacrifice that for her.
She set the platters in the middle of the table before pouring two tall mugs of coffee.
“Hey, you okay?” he asked, taking her hand when she set his coffee down on the table. “You’re not having doubts about this, are you?”
She claimed the chair beside him. How could she make him understand that no one had put her needs first in a long time, if ever? “I’m sorry. I’m okay,” she said, fixing her eyes on her plate.
He set his index finger under her chin, forcing her to look at him. “No, you’re not. You gonna tell me what’s bothering you?”
“This is all just a little overwhelming,” she said, gripping her coffee mug with both hands. “And unexpected. I mean, I never thought this would happen for me.”
He cursed, dipping his head. “Am I coming on too strong, moving too fast?”
She reached over to grip his forearm, anxious to reassure him. “No, this is what I want. I just…”
“You just… what? Talk to me, baby.”
She sighed, wishing she could find the words to express herself. “I just don’t want to disappoint you.” She didn’t know the first thing about being in a committed relationship. She’d been on her own, only having to think about herself and Tommy, forever. She didn’t know how another person would fit into that equation.
“Hey, don’t worry about it. We’ll take our time figuring it out, sweetheart.” He extended his finger between them. “As long as we get to do this every morning, I’m good.”
She smiled. “Does that mean you expect me to cook breakfast for you every morning, Stafford?”
He winked over the rim of his coffee cup. “How ‘bout you do breakfast and I do dinner?”
Biting her lip, she asked, “Who’s gonna take care of dessert?”
He flashed a wicked grin. “We’ll take turns.”
Lacy recruited Melanie to help her with the triplex. They were hard at work when the door flew open and a well-endowed red-head crossed the threshold.
“Can I help you?” Lacy asked, setting aside the piece of artwork she’d been unwrapping.
“I’m looking for Shane. I went by his office and Jason said he might be here.” She looked Lacy up and down, obviously finding her lacking. “Where is he?”
Lacy pulled the hem of her white t-shirt down, trying not to feel intimidated by the perfectly coiffed creature standing before her. “Shane’s not here. He left a little while ago. Can I help you with something?”
She snickered. “Honey, Shane is the only one who can help me.”
Melanie stole a glance at her. Lacy was filling her in on her plans with Shane as they worked, and she was even more excited than Lacy about the unexpected turn of events. “Um, well, like I said, he’s not here.”
Melanie set the box cutter she’d been using on the table. Eyes narrowed, she looked at their visitor as she propped her hand on her hip. “What do you want with Shane?”
The woman looked Melanie over, sneering. “We hooked up at a bar a couple of weeks ago. He took me home.” She smiled at both women. “Let’s just say, a girl would have to crazy to forget a guy like that.”
Lacy gripped the chair in front of her. “Are you saying you two…?”
She grinned as she eyed her manicure critically. “Sorry, I don’t kiss and tell, honey.” She slipped a hand into her designer handbag. “Do me a favor? Have him call me when he comes back. Tell him I want to get together for dinner tonight.” She cleared her throat. “So we can pick up where we left off.”
Lacy watched her leave before sliding into the dining room chair. Propping her head in her hands, she said, “I don’t believe this. I trusted him. I believed him when he said I was the only one he wanted…”
Melanie came around the table to claim the chair beside her. “Hey, just because she claims something happened doesn’t mean it did. Talk to Shane, ask him…”
Before Melanie could finish, Lacy’s cell phone rang. She was tempted to ignore it, assuming Shane was calling to check up on her. He wasn’t. “Hello,” she said, quickly. She listened to the nurse fill her in on the latest development with her brother. Trying to focus on forcing air into her lungs, she said, “Thank you for calling. I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
Melanie gripped her hand. “What’s wrong? You’re as white as…”
“Tommy’s had another seizure. He fell and hit his head. I have to go there now.”
“I’ll drive you,” Melanie said, jumping up.
“No, you stay here and finish up. They have an open house this weekend and I want the house to be ready.”
“I’d offer to lend yo
u my car, but I’m not sure you should drive in this condition.”
She knew her friend was probably right. Her whole body was trembling. “It’s okay. I’ll catch the bus home. I’ll ask Jack to drive me.”
Melanie bit her lip, looking uncertain. “Don’t you think you should call Shane?”
“No! I can’t deal with him right now. I just need to be with my brother.”
Shane pulled up to the triplex and cut the engine before reaching over to grab the paper bag from the deli and the tray of cups. He knew Melanie was helping Lacy today, so he brought enough for everyone. He was going to claim he was stopping by to check on their progress, but in truth, he couldn’t wait until tonight to see her.
Grinning like an idiot, he ran up the stairs leading to the wrap-around porch. This house was going to be an investor’s dream after all the work they’d done to bring it up to code after the previous slumlords allowed it to fall into disrepair. If they couldn’t get a fair price, they were prepared to hold on to it, renting it out, until the right offer came along. That was the nice thing about being able to finance their own deals now. They had the freedom and flexibility to adapt to market changes, selling or holding whenever the market dictated.
Ten years ago, he would never have imagined he’d be financially independent by thirty-five, but working alongside his old man in the construction trade had taught him everything he needed to know. That, coupled with some courses in real estate, gave him the foundation to realize his dream, and now he could finally share the perks of his hard work with the right woman.
Turning the doorknob, he heard someone banging a hammer in the back of the house. He peeked into the living area. Lacy had already had the movers drop off some furniture from their warehouse. The place was starting to come together.
“Hey,” Melanie said, rounding the corner. “I thought I heard somebody come in. What’s up, boss?”
He grinned. “Not much, you?” He handed her the paper sack containing salad and sandwiches. “I thought I’d bring you hard-working ladies a little lunch.”