Billi Jean Read online

  And if she tried to kick him out? At this point, he doubted she’d kick him out. But she might try running. She looked the type to make herself so busy she didn’t have to face things. Or pack up that perfect home and leave as quickly as she’d arrived.

  Russell was a good judge of people. She was scared. She was alone. She’d lost her dad, but had no pictures of him or anyone else up in that house of hers. A house that looked cosy, but wasn’t filled with anything personal. Nothing that seemed to reflect her. Not the neutral colours, not the bright airy kitchen. Not that he knew her well enough to judge what she would like, but still. Something in his gut said that that house was that. A house. Not a home.

  The woman was starting over.

  People who started over had several reasons. One could be because they didn’t like their life and picked up and left it, not willing to stick it out and face the problems.

  He should know.

  His mom had done it. Moved here when he was barely old enough to understand why she was frightened, scared and wary of any and all men. But he’d known she was running. Even as a young child, he’d known his mom was afraid. She had come clean ten years from the night she’d taken him across the country and started all over again in the mountains of Montana. His mom had run to protect him from an abusive SOB. Her first husband, a man Russell had hunted down his first year in the Navy and beaten senseless, had abused his mother for years. He’d hit Russell once, and that had been all it had taken for his mom to leave. She’d packed her bags in the middle of the night and driven across the entire country to protect him.

  Was Susan running to protect herself? And if so, from what? An abusive ex-boyfriend? The thought made him mad. Was that how she’d got the scar on her face? The scared look in her eyes the first day he’d met her? The wariness he still saw in her eyes?

  He hoped dinner and their hot kisses proved she was softening to him.

  His mom had taken years to trust another man. And she’d chosen right. His stepdad had been a keeper. A good man. He’d found what he’d wanted in Russell’s mom, and Russell had been a bonus. The man had taken Russ, a half wild boy used to protecting his mom and being the man of the house, and shown him what being a real man was all about. And he’d taken good care of his mom, too.

  His mom had taken years to recover from the abuse. Would his little Sunshine need that? Should he ease off a bit? Slow down? Could he slow down? Glancing down at his aching cock, he groaned. No, no, he couldn’t. He’d be of no use to either of them if he didn’t get some relief from her soon.

  Sighing deeply, he started forming a plan. This might be more difficult than it had first appeared. He might end up in that bed, but he wanted a great deal more. He wanted into that heart. She might smile, she might even tease, but she was holding herself firmly apart. Protecting her little heart. And she looked to be firmly guarding it, too.

  No matter. He was the Ace. He always got what he was after. And protected what was his, too.

  Lacey’s heart was still pounding when she finally heard Russell’s truck back out of the driveway. He’d sat there for a long while, and she couldn’t help but wonder if he’d been as lightheaded and on fire as she was. She felt like she couldn’t even stand, let alone walk. Her legs were wobbly and she was breathless.

  It wasn’t simply his kisses that had her heart skittering against her ribs. Or his lean, strong body. It was him. All of it—the kiss, the way he’d held her as if he was half fearful she’d pull away, the feel of him all strong and powerful against every inch of her body, the way he’d said her name, listened to her, watched her. He did something to her. Russell. He was simply potent.

  But it hadn’t been how tough Russell was; the lean, mean Navy SEAL. Nope, it had been how careful he’d been with her. He’d been aroused. She’d have felt his erection even if he hadn’t ground her down on it—she would have felt the heat. It had been very impressive, and so long and thick that at first she’d thought he had one of those big, black flashlights in his pocket. It’d taken her a second or two to realise what it really was. And then a second or two to recover from the surprise of making him that way by kissing him. Well, that and rubbing herself all over his rock-hard body. The thought make her wet and achy.

  Then he’d apologised, as if he were to blame. And that was probably the most endearing thing she’d ever heard of, let alone experienced. To realise this huge, fierce man was so affected by her that he couldn’t control his own body, but didn’t want to offend her, was so silly but thoughtful, she shivered and hugged herself. His hands had actually been trembling when he’d cupped her head again and kissed her afterwards. It was as if he’d been afraid she might leap away and start yelling at him. The way he’d held her gently, his head tucked against her neck? It’d made tears sting her eyes. Her throat tightened with emotion, just remembering.

  Russell might look like the typical tough guy, but he was as alone as she was.

  He’d not wanted to come in, and she knew exactly why. At least, she thought she did. He wasn’t after sex. Oh, he wanted that. She felt heat rise up to her face at the thought of how much he’d wanted that. But he seemed to want a great deal more. At least, she thought so. It was difficult to tell.

  And now he was hiking with her tomorrow.

  And having his buddies install a system that probably cost a great deal more than a few hundred dollars.

  He was good, she would give him that, but her dad had been a great deal like Russell Ryland. Big, overprotective, and secretive when it served him right. Like the time she’d wanted to go to Mexico during her sophomore year of college. Her dad had agreed after very little argument, then sent down a whole unit to watch her. Not that she’d done anything more than soak up the sun with her friends and hop over to look at some ruins. She wasn’t into the kinds of drinking and drugs some were; and she’d never done casual sex. So Mexico had been great—scuba diving, hiking, beaching it up and sleeping in the sun.

  That had been the year she’d learned her dad had cancer. He’d not told her for six months. By then, it had been so far gone he’d been hurting all the time. She’d dropped out of her day classes at the university to take online classes and care for him full-time.

  Did she want the kind of man who wasn’t honest with her because he thought he knew best? If her father had only told her, if he’d only been honest, she might have been able to have more experienced doctors look at him. Specialists. Better physicians than the base could provide.

  Sighing, she checked to see if Russell was gone before heading off to change into her PJs and head to the U-Haul. She couldn’t sleep out there for much longer, but the house seemed so empty. Like her old home when she’d returned after the attack, after learning her father had died thinking she might never wake up from the operations it had taken to put her back together. Guilt and pain filled her at the memory. Her dad had died thinking he’d failed her. He’d died two days after her attack. Two days, and then he was gone. She’d hoped at first that he’d not known she was hurt, but one of the doctors had told her he had, before someone had shut him up. An agent. Another man who’d thought she shouldn’t know the truth.

  So, was Russell like that? Did he say a couple of hundred dollars for a security system when it was a great deal more? Most likely.

  Tired and restless from so many emotions, she left her clothes on the back of a chair and headed off to bed. Tomorrow she’d find out the truth about the security systems out there, then she’d ask the major.

  Russell.

  She scooted under the covers in the U-Haul, freezing at first, but warm inside from the kisses and memories of Russell’s hands. Hot, firm hands. But gentle.

  If he had lied, she could straighten that out, too.

  A man couldn’t be changed, but he could be educated. At least her dad had always thought so. Or, some could. Others, he’d said, had to be kicked to the kerb early.

  Could she kick Russell to the kerb? Her stomach fluttered. Maybe it was already too lat
e to kick big, handsome Russell Ryland anywhere. She had a suspicion that maybe it had been too late the first time she’d met him.

  Chapter Seven

  Today, Russell had expected to see some smoke in the chimney. Susan had been here for over two weeks.

  Slowing down—he always slowed down, now, when he neared her little home—he looked for some sign of life. It was after seven… Was she awake yet? Did she sleep nude? All those luscious curves tangled in silk sheets? Hadn’t she said early for the hike, or had it been later in the afternoon?

  He hadn’t expected to see her jumping out of the back of the U-Haul. And why was that still here? And why was she in her PJs? Her head turned as she pulled the roll-down back door closed, but not before he saw a bed. Holy hell. He was pulling into the long drive before he even knew it. She gave him a blurry-eyed look, shoved her tousled hair back behind her ear and jumped up and down on her bare feet. Son of a bitch.

  “What the hell are you doing? And don’t tell me you’re sleeping in that U-Haul,” he demanded, the minute his boots hit dirt.

  She blinked several times, shielded her eyes with one hand and hopped from foot to foot. “Okay. I won’t. Later, dude.” She practically skipped her way to the garage, pulled the door up and raced in, stuffing her feet into slippers that she’d laid neatly inside the garage doorway before he could even process what she’d said.

  “Whoa, now, come on. Cut me some slack. You have a house. Why are you sleeping in the truck?” For fuck’s sake, he wanted to add. She could come and sleep with him if she didn’t want her own home. Not that he could guarantee she’d sleep. He sure hadn’t last night. He couldn’t even guarantee he would let her come up for air for days.

  She flung her dark hair over her shoulder and said, “The house isn’t clean yet.”

  The house wasn’t clean? He followed. He was not letting her get away with this. First she’d been eyeing the chainsaws; then the unlocked house. She could cut her foot off. And the axe? He’d been half scared out of his mind by the mere idea of her trying to use that axe. It was as big as she was. But now she was sleeping in a U-Haul?

  Her home was spotless. He’d noticed that yesterday. It was warm, cosy and clean. And she was pissing him off with this little attitude. He’d barely made it inside when he was suddenly blindsided by a screeching, sweet-smelling female jumping into his arms and yelling for him to get back.

  “Out! Oh, my God. Out…hurry! Russell!”

  He backed down the steps, fully aware that he finally had the woman he’d been craving for weeks in his arms. Last night had been pure torture. Today, he knew he wanted in all the way. He wasn’t going to back down any longer, not if she was willing. It’d taken him all night to ease the hard-on he’d had, blazing hot and ready for her. Today, he’d made the decision to speed his mission up before his dick fell off. She’d seemed more than onboard with that last night. If she still was, he was diving in, had been all he’d thought about on the drive down. And now? Now he had her in his arms.

  “Hurry! Hurry!” She beat on his back with a small fist and tried to force him to move faster.

  “What the fuck’s the matter?” he grated, trying to see around her at the same time as she tried to climb over his shoulder. Bare skin touched his face and, God, was that her stomach, or…? It was her breast, right against his face. There went his balls, tight as a fist and ready to blow.

  “Skunk! Family!” She managed to get him moving with that, and he chuckled when he’d got them out of the house and as far back into the corner of the garage as possible. Sure enough, a pissed off skunk and three little ones came out of her kitchen, hopefully not spraying. He struggled not to turn her to the side of the garage wall and fuck her right here, without battling a pack of angry skunks.

  Susan was breathlessly laughing in his neck, but holding on so tight to him that he felt a surge of possessiveness hit him hard. Her little butt in his hands was so soft and plump, yet firm. His brain slowed down, making thinking a challenge because all he could concentrate on was how good she felt in his arms. His mind suddenly zeroed in on the fact that all he needed to do was unzip, pull those flannels down her lush ass and he’d be where he needed to be. For the rest of the day. Or week, if possible.

  Forcing himself to calm down a notch, he took a few deep breaths, like he was on a mission, his prey in sight.

  Breathe in, breathe out.

  He could do this. She was small and he sure wasn’t. But he could be in control. He could be. He would be. He wasn’t going to hurt her. Nope. Nada. Not happening.

  Shit, he’d need long, sweaty sex for hours before he could even think of going slowly and seductively. Instinctively, he knew she needed slow and seductive, which meant he needed to calm down.

  “I think you’re safe now. Looks like they didn’t cause any damage,” he managed, his voice coming out husky and deep like he’d swallowed sawdust, but he was trying, here.

  She didn’t seem to notice. She was still breathless and holding him tightly, arms around his neck, legs around his waist, but she turned to look back at the black and white little family exiting her garage. Her hair was brushing his face, and he couldn’t have stopped himself from breathing in all that glorious silk if he’d tried. She smelt sweet and clean, some kind of flowery scent that made his cock jump again.

  All his mind could do was circle around the same thing. She was spread open like this, exactly how he had imagined her last night when he’d come explosively in his own hand. Except she was in flannel, and not naked and wet around him. He’d shot a huge amount of cum simply thinking of taking her against a wall, shoving up as he ground against her. He knew women had a spot right there in the front, right where he’d be able to hit each time he tunnelled through her wet heat. He’d blown his load imagining her like that, with those cute nails in his shoulders, holding him tight as he brought her to climax.

  But this wasn’t a dream or fantasy of her; this was Susan in his arms. She wasn’t ready for him like that. She might not even be ready for slow and easy. She might not want him for more than a skunk rescuer.

  Susan let out a breath and suddenly leaned her forehead on his shoulder. “I really, really, don’t like this place, Russell,” she said, so softly he barely heard her.

  Chuckling, he met surprised blue eyes. “No? I can’t imagine why.” His voice came out a bit deeper than usual, but she only blinked, then started laughing. A pure, pretty little laugh. They were a breath away from kissing. He could see how clear and smooth her skin was this close. Absolutely beautiful, with a touch of pink from the cold. He wanted to rub his rough face against hers, then go lower to touch every inch of her.

  “Good morning,” she murmured softly, and shifted in his arms.

  The look in her eyes was all he needed. In two seconds flat, he had her butt on the counter by the refrigerator and was standing between her thighs kissing her like he’d wanted to for days. Deep, demanding kisses that drove them both wild.

  He needed to slow down, but she tasted so good. She was like pure candy, sweet and addictive. Holding her face still, he ate at her mouth, half fearing he’d bite her, he was so aroused. With a low groan he couldn’t stop and didn’t want to, he dived past her lips and she opened for him with a soft moan. His mind went blank; pure instinct took over and had him nipping and teasing her mouth with his, driving himself crazy with lust but, God, he couldn’t stop. At first she froze, but within seconds she kissed him back, licking his tongue, shifting on the counter to get closer so she could run her hands up his back. He felt her take his baseball cap off and run her nails over his scalp and he nearly lost control. A groan rumbled up his throat at the lust pounding in him. He yanked her closer and felt her toss his hat behind them. Smiling against his lips she laughed softly and slid her soft hands under his shirt.

  The mixture of lust and fun threw him for a loop. He reined his lust in and cupped her ass in his hands to look down at her. He’d made her lips all puffy and wet, luscious looking from thei
r kisses. She blinked up at him and he swore her blue eyes twinkled. He needed her.

  She was going to kill him; she was so perfect for him.

  She wrapped those luscious legs around his waist to pull him in tight, and his cock settled against her barely covered pussy. He had to pull back, or come in his jeans. Had any woman ever made him so trigger happy? Fuck, no. Susan was more than he could handle. Susan—teasing, sexy and more than willing in his arms—had him on fire. She squirmed against him and dug those nails into his shoulders with a soft gasp of breath when his erection was suddenly right where it needed to be—as tight as it was possible to be against her heat without being naked.

  “Bedroom or counter, because I’m not doing this in a U-Haul,” he grated, watching her eyelids, heavy with arousal, open to reveal sexy blue eyes. He was right back on her lips, groaning with the need to make her even hotter for him. He wanted to kiss every inch of her, explore what made her hot, but first he needed her. Gripping her lush bottom, he urged her up closer so he could rub his erection against her inner thighs. She gasped and tightened her legs around his waist. Their tongues duelled and tangled and he knew he had to let go of her to get her inside the house, but no way could he let go of her mouth when she was kissing him like her life depended on it. She tugged his hair and slowly moved her mouth to his jaw, where she continued to drive him insane by running her lips over his chin and on to right behind his ear.

  “Sunshine, I’m begging here,” he groaned. “Where to?” He tipped his head down and caught her mouth again for a long, intense kiss. Not that he was letting her speak. He couldn’t let go of her mouth. He felt lost without those sweet lips.

  “Russell…” His name on her lips made him want to howl. This could not be a no. He was on edge. He had to be very careful, because he wanted to shove those cute blue flannel bottoms, with their little puffy clouds, down to her ankles and mount her right here, spread out wide and welcoming for his possession. He could imagine how slick she would be. So hot and tight.