Jamie had told her this was inappropriate. Well, she was definitely going to be inappropriate now. Wrapping her hand around the base of him, she slid her mouth down over him making him thrust his hips and moan. She was enjoying the power she held over him. She continued to suck on him and pump her hand. When she ran her tongue around the head, he sucked in a breath.
“Anna, please, you have to stop,” he growled.
“I’ll say when I stop, Jesse. Be quiet. Relax.”
“Relax, hell,” he said through clenched teeth.
She pulled away from him and laughed. “You do this for me, so let me give back.”
She put her mouth back over him and sucked hard. His cock hardened even more right before a low growl tore from his chest and he came in her mouth as she continued to suck and pump her hand along his length. Sitting back on her heels, she stared down at him. His chest was heaving and his eyes were closed.
“Are you all right?” she asked.
Jesse opened his eyes, raised his head, and stared at her. He shook his head then dropped it back onto the pillow making her chuckle. She crawled up his body and kissed his lips. His arms wrapped around her and he deepened the kiss then flipped her to her back making her give a small squeal.
“I need to give back now,” he whispered against her lips.
“Later. I want to take a bath and I want you to get in the tub with me.”
“Sure, darlin’, if that’s what you want. I’ll do anything you want.”
“You will?” she asked, surprised he would agree.
“Let me guess, your husband wouldn’t do that either.”
Anna shook her head as she stared up at him. She didn’t like to think bad about Jamie, but he never wanted to do anything that he thought was inappropriate. She was surprised that he would even put his tongue in her mouth. Which if she really thought about it, he never kissed her deeply enough to do that. Little pecks were all he’d do, and he never kissed her during sex. Mentally shaking her head, she couldn’t believe what she’d been missing. Abby was so happy with her husband and that’s the way it should be. Anna had always been forced to live out her fantasies through the romance novels she read—until now. She remembered always thinking they were a little over the top but not anymore. Not since Jesse came into her life. Now she was so scared that when the time came for him to leave, he’d be taking her heart with him.
Jesse rolled off her and stood beside the bed then put his hand out to her. He didn’t seem to care that he stood there naked. Men. It didn’t bother them a bit or maybe she was just shy when it came to being naked in front of him. Though why she should be was beyond her. The man had been over every inch of her. Shivering, she swung her legs over the bed, took his hand, and stood. He pulled her against him and kissed her lips.
“Come on,” she said.
“All right.” He took her hand and led her to the bathroom.
Once inside, she turned the water on then reached for the bubble bath. Nibbling on her lower lip, she looked at him.
“Is bubble bath okay?”
Jesse stepped closer to her. “Do you want to add it?”
“Yes.”
“Then yes, bubble bath is fine. Anna, I’ll do anything you want to do as long as I can do it with you. I would think you would’ve realized that by now. This isn’t the first bubble bath we’ve taken together, and it won’t be the last.”
Blinking tears away, she turned to pour bubble bath under the water and watched as the bubbles quickly started rising. She jerked when Jesse put his hands on her shoulders and kissed her neck. Taking a deep breath, she turned to face him.
“I probably seem so silly to you,” she whispered but Jesse put his finger over her lips.
“No, you don’t. I’m sure you’re not the only woman who’s lived in an unaffectionate marriage. It’s sad because you’re a very sensual woman, Anna, and you should be cherished and loved the right way.”
“I can’t get over what I’ve been missing.”
“As long as I’m here, you won’t be missing anything,” he said then moved his lips along her shoulder.
As long as he’s here. Anna inwardly sighed. She really wished she could ask him to stay but she had no right. He’d told her from the beginning that he was here only for the summer. Moving away from him, she unclasped her bra and dropped it to the floor. She unsnapped and lowered the zipper on her jeans and pushed them down, along with her panties then stepped into the tub and slid forward. She looked up at Jesse to see him staring at her with a frown on his handsome face. She smiled.
“Are you getting in or just going to stand there?”
“I could stand here all night just to watch you bathe,” he said with a grin but then stepped in behind her, sat down, and pulled her back against him then wrapped his arms around her. He rested his chin on her shoulder and nibbled on her earlobe. When she shivered, she could feel him grin against her neck.
“I’m going to call the courthouse tomorrow to find out when someone can come out here and look at the cabins. On second thought, I guess I could just stop in. I have to go into town and get some groceries. Do you want to go with me?”
“Sure. We could use some oats too.”
“I get feed from Ash Beckett. He…he lets me make payments. I lost my credit at the co-op.” She lowered her head in embarrassment.
“I see. Well, can you call him?”
“Yeah, sure, I’ll call Ash after we get out of here.”
“Sounds good to me but we might be in here a while,” he whispered against her neck.
Anna sighed as he kissed her neck and nibbled her shoulder. She could get so used to this, but the truth was he was eventually going to leave her and then she’d be alone, once again.
****
Jesse rested his chin on her shoulder and closed his eyes. This woman was coming to mean so much to him and he was terrified of what would happen when she found out the truth of why he was here. She was going to be pissed, and in all probability, hurt. He hated hurting anyone but hurting Anna would be like ripping his own heart out. He’d ridden the meanest bulls on the circuit but the thought of Anna finding out why he was actually here scared the hell out of him. Of course, he also knew Gray was going to drill him tomorrow and if Anna knew that Gray was his brother, she’d know Ash was too, and then she’d hate him for sure. The lies just kept piling up and that saying by Sir Walter Scott, oh what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive, was ringing so true for him. God! She was going to hate him for all the lies. How would he ever get her to see his reasoning? Hell, did he even see it himself?
He kissed her shoulder and when she moved her hand up along the back of his neck, he took it and kissed the palm. She turned her head and kissed his cheek and his heart skipped a beat. He knew he was so close to falling in love with her. Damn it. He should have just told Rusty he was lost but all he could think of at the time was that he was looking for work and then after seeing Anna, he didn’t want to leave. He had to get to know her because he thought she was stunning. It didn’t matter that she was eleven years older, he’d never wanted a woman more. He nuzzled her hair with his nose and could smell her strawberry shampoo.
“You smell good,” he murmured.
Anna chuckled. “Well, we are in lavender bubble bath.”
“Your hair smells like strawberries.”
“Oh, yeah. It is strawberry shampoo.”
He kissed along her shoulder. “You smell good all over, darlin’ and I should know since I’ve been over every inch of you.”
“Jesse,” she moaned.
He imagined she was blushing, and it made him smile. For a woman who’d been married, she sure blushed a lot but he thought it was sweet.
“What?”
“The things you say.” She shook her head.
He chuckled. “It’s the truth, isn’t it?” She nodded. “Then what’s the problem?”
She took a deep breath and blew it out. “There isn’t one.”
He stood, reached for a towel, and stepped from the tub. “Stand up, Anna.”
She stood and looked at him. He held the towel for her. Smiling shyly, she stepped out and he wrapped the towel around her and kissed her then dried her off. He hung the towel up and reached for another one for himself. When he started to dry off with it, she took it from him and ran the towel down his body. Not a good idea. She kneeled down in front of him, and too many naughty thoughts ran through his head so his dick started to react. She glanced up at him. He smirked and shrugged. Putting his hands out to her, she placed hers in his and he pulled her to her feet then leaned down and pressed his lips to hers. Moving his lips across her cheek to her neck, he kissed her behind her ear then ran his tongue down to her shoulder and back up. He hovered his lips above hers.
“Your move, darlin’,” he whispered then grinned when she shivered.
Anna moved closer and pressed her lips to his. He took control and deepened the kiss, moving his tongue into her mouth. He moaned when she tangled her tongue with his. When she sucked on it, he almost came right then. Slowly lifting his lips from hers, he stared into her eyes.
“I want to fuck you so bad, I ache with need.”
“Jesse,” she moaned.
“Tell me what you want, Anna,” he said quietly, never taking his eyes from hers. He watched as she closed her eyes. “Tell me, baby.”
“I want…” She opened her eyes.
“Yes?”
“Jesse,” she whispered.
“Tell me, Anna. You know what you want, and I know what you want but I need to hear you say it.”
“I want you.”
He grinned. “Not good enough, darlin’. Tell me.”
She pulled back and stared into his eyes. He watched a blush stain her cheeks and she took a deep, shuddering breath.
“I want you to…fuck me,” she whispered then leaned her forehead against his chest.
“Was that so hard?”
Her head moved back and forth on his chest. “I have never said anything like that in my life.”
“Well, it sure turned me on,” he whispered next to her ear.
Anna’s head snapped up, a slow smile lifted her lips, and his dick lifted with them.
“I can tell.”
He grinned. “Can’t hide it, can I?”
Anna wrapped her arms around his waist and put her face in the crook of his neck. He wrapped his arms around her then picked her up and carried her to the bedroom where he placed her in the center of the bed then stared down at her. He grinned when she crooked her finger at him then he lay down beside her and cupped her cheek in his hand.
“You are so beautiful,” he said as he leaned down to kiss her.
“I’m not.”
“Why would you even say that?”
“Because it’s true. I’m not soft anymore, Jesse. The ranch has hardened me. I hate to think of the wrinkles I’ll have in ten years because I have so many now.”
Jesse reared back and looked at her face. “Where?”
She laughed. “You’re sweet but you look at a woman ten years younger…then look at me and tell me what you see.”
“I’ll see what I see right now—a beautiful woman.”
“In ten years, I’ll be fifty.” She put her hands over her face. “I can’t bear to think about that.”
Jesse pulled her hands away. “Anna, no matter what age you are you’ll be beautiful. Age is just a number and every woman is beautiful.”
“If I stood in a room with five younger women, men would look at them, not me.”
“Not this man. No woman can compare to you.” He brushed her hair behind her ear then leaned down to kiss her again. “I’ve never wanted a woman more.”
“You’re an amazing man, Jesse. I never knew it could be like this. I’ll hate it when you leave.”
“Leave?” he asked, swallowing hard. Does she know?
“At the end of the summer. You said you were only looking for work for the summer.”
“Oh. Yeah, well, I can stay as long as you want me to, sweetheart.” He kissed her lips and felt her smile against his mouth.
“I might lock you in the basement and just keep you.”
“Hell no. I won’t go in that damn basement again. My head still hurts. You’ll have to keep me in this room.”
Anna’s arms wrapped around his neck. “Deal.”
He moved over her and spread her legs then settled between them. “I can feel your heat against my dick.”
“You make me hot, Jesse. Nights you aren’t here, I can’t sleep because all I can do is think of you.”
“Do you think of me between your legs?”
“Yes,” she whispered.
“My favorite place to be.”
Jesse leaned down and kissed her lips then slid his mouth across her cheek to her ear and down her shoulder to her breast where he moved his tongue around her nipple then sucked it into his mouth. Her hands fisted in his hair. He needed to let her know how he felt about her and this was how he’d go about it. Time was limited for him. Things were going to come to a head very soon and he’d be out on his ass for lying to this woman he held in his arms and in his heart.
****
The next day, Jesse was working in the last cabin when a shadow fell across him and he looked up to see his brother, Gray, standing in the doorway. His arms were folded across his chest and his eyes narrowed as he stared at Jesse.
“You want to tell me what the fuck is going on, Jesse…Dalton?”
He sighed then tossed the hammer onto the floor. “Gray, it’s…difficult.”
“No shit. Come out here and tell me.” Gray turned and walked across the porch and took a seat on the top step.
Jesse blew out a frustrated breath and followed his brother then took a seat beside him. He looked out across the field then glanced at Gray.
“I stopped here for Dad. He told me the property was foreclosed on, but it wasn’t. When Rusty came out from the barn, I didn’t think and so I said I was looking for work. I just figured he’d say they weren’t hiring but then I met Anna…”
“Are you in love with her?”
Jesse nodded. “I’m sure I am.”
“Then you’d better tell her the truth. I didn’t know what the hell was going on when she introduced you. I know why you shook your head when I was going to remove my sunglasses. She would have seen that our eyes are the same. There’s no way anyone would doubt we’re all siblings if they saw our eyes. Damn it, Jesse, don’t you dare hurt her.” Gray ran his hand down his face. “What the fuck am I saying? You’re going to hurt her. No doubt about it and it pisses me off. I feel like kicking your ass.”
“No more than I want to kick it myself. She called Ash about buying some feed and if he comes here and sees me, he’ll punch me out for sure.”
“You’d deserve it. Everyone likes Annie and she’s been through more than enough. I can’t believe Dad wanted you to look at a property not available yet.”
“He said she made a payment to forestall it. I just wish he would have told me before I showed up here but he said he was out of town and it slipped his mind. I know Dad would have told me if he’d thought about it. That’s not the worst part. Rusty figured out who I am and he told me to get off the property or he’d tell her.”
“So why are you still here?”
“I told him I’m going to finish the cabins for her first. She’s going to rent them out as homes.”
Gray shook his head. “You can’t put the blame on Dad for this. You could have said you were at the wrong place. Hell, anything but what you did. I hope you know what the hell you’re doing, JD.”
“I have no clue what I’m doing, Gray. Other than falling for a woman who’s going to hate me once she learns the truth.”
“Then get out now. Leave.”
“I can’t,” Jesse muttered.
Gra
y pushed to his feet and glared at him. “You can. You’re digging a hole so fucking deep, you’ll never get out of it.”
“I know.”
“Shit. I’m going over to the barn to get hay. I won’t say anything but once she finds out about you, she sure as shit isn’t going to be happy with me either. I’ll see you Sunday.”
“Sunday?”
“Mom and Dad’s anniversary dinner at Dani’s.”
“Oh, hell. I forgot. I’ll be there.”
“You sure as hell better be.” Gray walked to his pickup truck, and after climbing in and shutting the door a bit harder than needed, started it, and tore out of there throwing dust up as he went.
He knew his brother wasn’t happy with him and his dad sure as hell wasn’t either. Well, damn. Just piss the entire family off, why don’t you? He was going to have to make up something to tell Anna about why he’d be gone Sunday. Great, another fucking lie. Gray was right.
Jesse realized he was never going to get out of the hole he was digging.
Chapter Six
Anna waited for Jesse to show up so they could go to the courthouse. Did she really have to go in there? Maybe she should’ve just called and set it up. Of course, the thought of being with Jesse alone away from the ranch was very tempting, but she could do that by going to the cabin. Glancing at the clock above the stove, she pushed the chair back and stood then walked outside to her truck. Jesse wasn’t due for twenty minutes. It took her five minutes to get to the cabins. She stopped the truck, threw it in Park then exited and strode to the cabin he’d been staying in. Walking up the steps, she knocked on the door, forgetting how to breathe when he opened it, and stood there in nothing but a towel wrapped around his slim hips, and that damn V had her salivating. His hair was damp on the ends.
“Anna? Am I late?”
“Uh, no,” she said as she tore her eyes from his belly button and looked into his eyes. His beautiful ice blue eyes.
“Then why are you here?” he asked in a low tone of voice.
“I…” She shook her head. “I don’t know.”
“Yes, you do,” he said as he wrapped his hand around the back of her neck and pulled her to him then took her lips in a deep kiss.
Jesse: A Beckett Brothers Novel Book 3 (The Beckett Brothers) Page 11