by Lori Foster
Thunderstruck, Dean dropped his hands and took a step back. He swallowed. Glanced at Jacki. Did his best to ignore Gregor’s hulking presence. “Something like that, yeah.”
A smile slowly softened her mouth. “Okay then. Thank you.”
Dean had the awful suspicion he’d just been out-manipulated.
Jacki put her hands in the air. “I should probably be offended that the two of you think I need so damn much care, but I’m too curious about the car to mind that much.” She grinned. “When do I get to see it?”
Relieved to have that settled, Dean glanced at his watch. “We can head over there now to pick it up. Can you drive a stick?”
Her face fell. “No.”
Gregor presented himself to the room. “I can. I’ll teach you.”
Jacki said, “No—”
“Damn it, Jacki,” he burst out, making everyone except Dean jump in startled fright. “I believe you, all right?”
Jacki blanched. In a whisper, she said, “Shut up, Gregor.”
He shoved his way further into the room, paying no attention when he almost knocked over Dean. “Not until you forgive me.”
“Believe her about what?” Cam wanted to know.
His gaze on Jacki, Gregor squared his massive shoulders. “Jacki explained to me that—”
“Gregor!”
He towered over Jacki. “Well? You gonna forgive or not?”
Impotent fury left Jacki trembling. “This is blackmail.”
“Nah, it’s desperation.” Gregor’s eyes narrowed. “With someone as stubborn as you, I’ll do what it takes.”
Through her teeth, Jacki said, “Fine. You’re on probationary forgiveness.”
He grinned hugely. “I’ll take it.”
“But if you so much as—”
“I won’t.” Gregor slung his arm around her shoulders. “Now let’s go get your car.”
JACKI felt every breath Gregor took. She felt him studying her face. Her body. The heat of his interest burned her.
Gnashing her teeth together, she ground the gears and then exploded, “Stop it! Just…stop it. I can’t concentrate when you’re doing that.”
He coasted his knuckles along her cheek. “I don’t think I’ve ever had a virgin. God, I can hardly wait.”
Molten excitement nearly melted her on the spot. She pushed in the clutch, shoved the gear shift into park, and put on the brake.
That time of night, with the excessive heat wave, the park was nearly deserted. It would have been the perfect place to practice driving, if Gregor weren’t so intent on seducing her.
Realizing what she’d done, he looked around and frowned. “You’re still in the middle of the road.”
Jacki opened the door, got out, and walked away.
“Jacki!”
She kept going, into the wooded lot beside the roadway, to a picnic table set in a clearing. Brushing off the fallen leaves and dead bugs, she cleared a spot and sat down.
Thirty seconds later, Gregor lumbered through the brush and joined her. “Damn it, woman. I thought you planned to walk all the way home or something asinine like that.”
“No.” A fuzzy caterpillar made its way across the top of the picnic table. Using a leaf, Jacki captured the bug and set it safely on the ground.
Gregor sat beside her. He was silent for a moment, then said, “I’m not rushin’ ya. If you thought I was, well, you were wrong.”
“Really?” Jacki felt too wilted in the heat to debate the point with him.
“Yeah, really. I just…you’re so cute. And sexy.”
“Uh-huh.”
“And a virgin.” He tensed all over. “God Almighty, that’s a turn-on.”
Jacki couldn’t help but laugh. “And naturally you’ve already decided you’ll be my first?”
“Well…yeah. I mean, I hope so.” He hesitated, and slowly his expression turned into a dark thundercloud. “Won’t I?”
She wasn’t the least bit intimidated. “I don’t know, Gregor.”
His muscles all bunched up in tension. In a raspy whisper, he asked, “You’re seein’ someone else?”
Jacki half-expected him to start beating his chest at any moment. “No.”
“You’re sure?”
Being droll, Jacki said, “Are you going to start calling me a liar again?”
“No.” He relaxed a little. “No, course not. If you say I’m it, I’m it.”
Oh, for the love of…“I didn’t say you were it.”
Smug, Gregor pointed out, “I’m the only one you’re seein’, sugar.”
“But that doesn’t mean I plan to end my virginity with you.”
“Oh.”
How a big hulking oaf could look so crestfallen, Jacki didn’t know. “You’re making me crazy, Gregor.”
“Try sittin’ where I’m at honey, then tell me about crazy.”
On a deep sigh, Jacki swung a leg over the bench so that she could straddle it, facing Gregor. “Look. What I’m saying is that I’m not ready yet. I know that now. And I don’t like you pushing me.”
A look of insult had him tucking in his chin. “I didn’t. I wouldn’t.”
Jacki rolled her eyes. “No? Then what do you call those hot stares and easy touching and outrageous compliments?”
He treated her to another easy touch, this one to the side of her throat. “That’s your fault, darlin’, not mine. If you weren’t so irresistible…”
She slapped his hand away. “That’s exactly what I’m talking about.”
“I’m levelin’ with ya, damn it. I don’t expect you to just shove down your pants or anythin’…. Well, unless you wanted to.”
Jacki inhaled, but Gregor rushed on before she could vent.
“But you are sexy. So sexy, you’re making me crazy. Good crazy. I can take it. I wanna take it. Hell, you need a month? Fine. I’ll last a month.” He caught both her hands and kissed her wrists. “But I can’t not touch you or look at you. That’s askin’ too much.”
His words rang with so much raw sincerity, Jacki believed him. And maybe that’s why she blurted, “I’m built like a boy.”
One brow slowly lifting, Gregor glanced at her lap. “Come again?”
She jerked her hands free and slapped at him. “Not there, you ass. That’s as average as any other woman.” Jacki flattened her hands over her chest. “Here.”
Gregor looked at her hands, licked his lips, and looked some more. “There?”
Exasperated, Jacki grabbed one of his big hands and lifted it to her chest. She pressed his palm against her less-than-A-cup boob—and heard his ragged groan.
“Why the hell are you groaning?”
Mouth open to accommodate his fast, heavy breaths, Gregor dragged his gaze from where his hand very gently cuddled her, up to her face. He swallowed audibly. Gaze smoky, face flushed, he rasped, “You are so fucking soft.”
“I’m flat.”
“I can feel your nipple all puckered up and tight and I think I just might come in my pants.”
Jacki stared at him. “You’re serious?”
He swallowed again, but kept his gaze glued to hers. “You wouldn’t wanna help to that end, would ya? I mean, one little touch from you—no. No, you said you weren’t ready, and by God, I’ll wait.”
“Gregor…”
He snatched back his hand and was gone from the bench seat in the blink of an eye.
Stunned, Jacki watched him storm away.
But he didn’t go far. Just far enough to stand there with his back to her while he sucked air hard and fast. “We should go.”
“I was thinking of getting a boob job.”
Gregor whirled around so fast, he nearly tripped himself. A variety of expressions went over his face in rapid succession until determination landed and stuck there.
Somehow, in one big stride, he reached her again. Holding her by her upper arms, he lifted her off her feet until she reached eye level with him. “What the hell are you talkin’ about?”
&nbs
p; Such a vehement demand. “I know I’m lacking in the rack department, Gregor. It’s always bothered me. A lot. It’s one reason I avoided guys for so long.”
He looked at her chest, his nostrils flared, and then he pierced her with his black-eyed gaze. “Good. I’m damned glad, ’cuz now that I know I’ll be first, I can’t bear the thought of some other bozo havin’ you.”
Hanging there in his grip, Jacki let out another long breath of exasperation. “You really are hung up on that ‘being first’ thing, aren’t you?”
“You have no idea.”
Jacki didn’t know what devil prompted her, but she heard herself saying, “Roger offered to pay for the surgery.”
Confusion pinched Gregor’s brows together over his nose. “What surgery?”
“The boob job.”
Slowly he lowered her to her feet, but still held on. “He did what?”
Uh-oh. Okay, so now she knew the difference between Gregor’s irritation and very real anger.
And this was pure red-hot anger.
“He’s Cam’s fiancé, you know?”
“What the hell does that have to do with anything?”
“Well, Roger said that he knew being flat bothered me. I guess I’m sometimes obvious.”
“I didn’t know it.”
She snorted. “Where women are concerned, you’re about as astute as a wooden block.”
“Or maybe,” Gregor said through his teeth, getting all tense and pissed off again, “it just never occurred to me that a hot little number like you would have some hare-brained hang-up over something that doesn’t matter worth squat.”
Wow. He said an awful lot there. “‘Doesn’t matter worth squat’?” Never had Jacki heard that goofy saying. “Never mind. The point is, it does bother me, and Roger said he wants to make nice with me, to get closer to Cam, so he offered to hook me up with a plastic surgeon that would do the surgery real cheap, and then Roger even offered to pay him.”
“I’ll kill the bastard.”
Jacki made a face. “You’re not going to kill anyone, Gregor.”
“Yeah. I am.” After releasing her, he started away for the car.
He sounded so serious that Jacki suddenly got nervous. “Wait a minute!”
Gregor kept on going. “If you don’t want to walk home after all, haul your little ass over here and get in the car.”
Of all the nerve! Jacki ran to get ahead of him, then planted herself in front of the passenger door. “I will not allow you to—”
He lifted her, set her aside, and opened the door.
He put the keys in the ignition and, growing desperate, Jacki scrambled onto his lap. “Damn it, Gregor, I’m serious.”
“Me, too. Deadly serious. That prick has no business even noticin’ your body, much less commentin’ on it, and no way in hell should he make you think you need some quack surgery.”
With her draped all over him, Gregor turned the key and started the engine.
Very real panic set in. “Gregor, please!”
He paused. He stared at her in a long, edgy silence before finally saying, “Please what?”
Suspicion niggled. Had he just pulled a fast one on her? He no longer looked so volatile. But Jacki couldn’t be sure. “Please don’t overreact.”
He waited in silence.
But really, Jacki liked his defense of her, especially over something that had caused her so much insecurity as a woman. “Please don’t go pick a fight with Roger.”
“You know you don’t need any damn surgery?”
“I know you don’t think I do. But,” she said with emphasis, “if I decide I ever want it, I’ll do it just the same.”
“Works for me. Long as it’s what you want and not something you think you need.”
How sweet. “Okay.”
Gregor wasn’t done. “What’s it to you if I mess up Roger’s face? I got the impression you didn’t like him much anyway.”
“I don’t. Or that is, I didn’t. But I just found out that Cam actually loves the jerk and that changes everything.”
“She told you that?”
His surprise mimicked her own. “Yeah. I know. Insane but true. I guess there’s something about Roger that I’ve missed.”
“The snake skin? The sharp teeth? What?”
Jacki flattened her mouth. “I shouldn’t have told you about his offer.”
That fierce frown snapped back into place. “You should have told me sooner.”
Okay. So maybe it was time to push a little. Jacki tilted her head, and asked, “Why?”
To her surprise, Gregor didn’t shy away. He looked at her, cupped her face, and kissed her hard. Long. Wet and deep.
Relaxing against him, enjoying him, Jacki kissed him back.
He eased away from her and touched his nose to hers. “That’s why. Something’s goin’ on between us. Something big.”
Hope blossomed. “You think so?” For her part, Jacki knew she was already half in love with the big lug. Maybe more than half.
Gregor nodded. “I know so.” He put his hand over her breast again, gently caressed her, then with visible resolution, lifted her to sit in her own seat. “Tomorrow, next month, or next year, I will be the first, honey. Count on it.”
Hands shaking, smiling all the way to her heart, Jacki fastened her seat belt. “Okay.”
At her reassurance, Gregor shook off his anger. “You’re not doin’ any dumb surgery, are you?”
“No. I’d already decided against it, because I know Cam would see it as her debt, too.”
“Forget the cost, damn it. You—”
“And,” Jacki said, stealing his thunder, “I’d already decided that anyone who didn’t like me as is was just plain out of luck. I’m not changing.”
“Hallelujah.” Gregor looked her over, ending his perusal with a low whistle. “You’re temptation enough as is.”
“Thank you. Now what about Roger?”
Gregor put the car in gear and pulled away from the edge of the road. “I’ll let Roger off the hook this time—after I explain to him that you’re mine.”
So possessive. “You won’t hurt him?”
“Nah. It’d be too much like kickin’ a puppy. I wouldn’t feel right about it.”
That wasn’t his sentiment moments ago, so Jacki decided to be perfectly clear. “Good to know, because I couldn’t really care about someone who was the type to go pounding on people just because they did something annoying.”
His eyes narrowed. “Fightin’ bothers you?”
“Bullying bothers me.” She tilted her head. “I would love to see you fight, though. Not on a tape, but live.”
Gregor mulled over the idea. “That can be arranged. In fact, the idea of keepin’ you close to hand suits me just fine.” He flashed her a grin. “Better odds on me bein’ around when you decide you’ve spent enough time chaste, and you’re ready to cut loose.”
Jacki laughed with him—but truthfully, she was ready right then. Now all she needed was the right moment to tell him.
CHAPTER 19
THE sun sank low in the sky, sending a crimson tide over the horizon. Dean applied the last dabs of tar to hold down the loose corners of the shingles around the vents. He’d just wiped his hands clean and started to stand when he felt someone watching him.
Trying to look nonchalant, he scoped the area around him and saw no one. But he felt it. No doubt about it.
Prickles of unease went up his spine. He thought about the broken ladder rung, his destroyed tires, and he refused to take any chances. Utilizing caution, he went down the ladder, all the while paying attention to his surroundings.
The house was quiet and empty. After a phone call from Roger, Cam went off to work early. With Dean’s blessing, Jacki and Gregor left a few hours before, supposedly so Jacki could practice driving the stick. Dean figured they both had more than manual stick instructions on their minds.
The idea of Gregor with his sister had grown on Dean, especially after s
eeing how Jacki affected him. And as long as Gregor remained with Jacki, Dean knew she’d be safe. In light of recent events, that counted for a lot.
Not long after everyone else had left, Lorna returned to the house. Her displeasure at finding only Dean there was extreme.
Crazy old broad.
In shrill tones, she demanded to know how long he’d be, and when she realized she’d be home alone with him for several more hours, she made another hasty departure. Dean should have felt guilty for running her out of her home; Lorna looked more tired than usual, and he guessed his intrusion, along with the financial difficulties and house problems, were starting to take their toll on her. She wasn’t a young, resilient woman and suddenly, things weren’t going her way.
But Dean felt no real guilt at all. If anything he hungered for an opportunity to tell Lorna what he thought of her and her parenting skills. It was just as well that she’d left, because despite her sour personality, his sisters cared about her. And that would make it difficult for him to vent as he wanted to.
Concealing himself in the shadows of the house, Dean checked his watch. Eve would be home by now, and he pictured her as she’d been last night, curled on the couch in comfy clothes, all warm and soft.
Just thinking about her got his heart pumping a little faster. He found himself smiling. In anticipation. In pleasure.
Earlier he’d told Eve that he wanted to move in with her, to be nearer to her in the case of a possible threat. After explaining about the ladder, she’d taken his request at face value and agreed.
Deep down, Dean figured they both knew it was an easy excuse, and both intended to use it anyway.
Eve understood that for now, he didn’t want anyone else to know about his suspicions. Not that he didn’t trust his sisters, but the fewer people who knew, the less chance there’d be for Roger to find out. And as Dean’s number one suspect, he wanted Roger as much in the dark as possible, to make it easier for him to trip himself up.
As Cam’s best friend, Eve had a problem with that, but she promised anyway.
Dean made quick work of putting away the tools and the ladder, cleaning the area, and locking up the house. Still sensing watchful eyes, he headed to his car, which now had four brand-new tires. Once inside, he turned on the air and called Eve.