Just That Easy (10 page)

“Then, if you don’t mind, I choose your place because it
feels more… Well, I just like it better than my place. I love your bed.” It was
true and he didn’t hide it.

“If it makes you happy, I’m in. I think I like you being at
my house too.”

More slicing. Why was she so sweetly intimate one minute,
telling him this wasn’t real the next? Being one step behind her in the arrows
straight to the heart department was kicking his confidence in the ass. He
wasn’t used to being in second place and he had a sudden pang of sympathy for
the team that always trailed them in the races. Watching someone else’s ass
sashay away with the keys to where you need to be, sucks.

“Yeah?” Was the only brilliant thing he could think of for
an answer.

“Yeah.”

Driving back was about as nervous as he’d been about
anything in a long time. Nothing like the forced anxiousness of his old life,
where he didn’t have a choice but to be thrown into the pit with the lions. No,
this was something that could never compare to any power brokering—hell
negotiating a deal with Bill Gates couldn’t be this nerve-racking. This wasn’t the
nervous you feel when you have to deal with something someone else is doing, this
was the nervous you feel when everything is riding on your performance and you
feel as if your life is on the line.

Because you want it to be.

As many times as he’d had to face much worse than this, this
felt as if it was monumentally more important. He had to be spot on, or she was
going to slip even farther away. No letting himself dissolve into his
ridiculous need to have her. He needed to be able to make her feel not only
passionate about him, but loved. Totally, completely worshiped. If that didn’t
work, nothing was going to.

They walked into the dark house. He followed behind her as
she kicked off her shoes and threw her purse to the coffee table. Instead of
turning on the lights, she turned on him. He’d been debating what to do with
her, how to keep his distance, when her mouth was already on him, her hands
sliding up under his shirt. The pressure started instantly. Building in his
belly where her fingers feathered against his skin and radiated out like a
fast-moving brush fire, threatening to burn down all that resolve he’d been
working up in himself for the last ten hours.

When her fingernails softly raked his nipples, he stopped
breathing. When she bit his bottom lip with her teeth, softly, but biting down
hard enough to send a twinge of pain along the sensitive tissue, he wanted her
to do it again. Then his hands slid up behind her. Not cooperating with his
brain, which said push her back, instead they grasped her firm ass and yanked
her hard up against his crotch.

“Holy fuck! You don’t have any panties on.” His voice came
out a low growl.

“Never did.”

A loud groan was the only thing that came from his throat as
he plunged over the cliff, needing her way more than any authority he had over
himself. He felt her move back from him. Her hands were already sliding the
leather belt out of his jeans, the zipper was sliding down, vibrating its metal
tremor down the entire length of his rock-hard cock. Expecting her fingers to
curl there, he cursed himself for closing his eyes because instead of firm
fingers snaking around him, a warm, wet tongue flicked softly against the sweet
spot just below the swollen head, then sucked the entire tip completely into
her hot little mouth. The deep growl that erupted from his chest didn’t even
begin to match the screaming thunder of the blood rushing through his body, the
shock of her mouth on him the most intensely gratifying thing he’d ever felt.

“I thought you’d like that.” She purred against his thigh,
then ran her tongue down the underside of his shaft straight to his balls.

He thought he was going to lose it and come right then.
Clenching his fists, he pulled away, leaned back into the door he’d just shut
behind them.

“Stop, please.” His throat was so dry the words sounded
ragged.

“You don’t like it?”

He didn’t need lights to tell him that a look of worry had
just passed through those eyes. Christ, only someone as sweet as Teryn would be
worried that putting her mouth on him like that wouldn’t please him.

“Like it? It feels so damn good I think I’m going to die
right here, are you kidding?”

“Then shut up and let me be in charge for once.”

For once?

The hot tongue descended on him again, this time in unison
with those highly regarded fingers. Wrapping them around the base, she closed
off the flow of blood rushing through him, building the pressure even tighter,
then renewed the tiny licking movements over that sweet spot, the entire head,
sliding her tongue between the folds of the slit and sending shockwaves of
burning ecstasy through every inch of his body. Her mouth was wet, hot. Moving
constantly, her tongue slid hard over every inch of him until he thought his
knees would give out.

When she took the whole length of him deep into her mouth
with one swift, wet thrust it wasn’t his knees that gave out. The second her
lips hit the base of his cock and the head pushed back against the walls of her
throat he felt his balls tighten and he pushed forward with blinding impulse.
His head reeled, he thought he was falling. Feeling the hot rush of his load
building up to blast into her mouth, he reflexively tried to pull back. Her
hands felt like iron on his ass, she locked on him and didn’t let go. God he
could feel her tongue sliding over him even while she sucked him well past the
point where he thought she might choke on him. Instead she took him smoothly
down her throat.

He couldn’t find his voice to warn her, to prepare her for
the hot gush of liquid that was rushing to the surface, ready to spill into her
sucking lips. The only sounds that came from him were loud, grunting moans, the
sound of a man pushed beyond the point of lucid thought. His hips jerked
uncontrollably as the primal need to thrust into that hot wetness crashed
through him. Fucking her mouth like some kind of animal, he was oblivious, and
aware all at the same time that she was pulling his hips into her face in
unison with his frenzied bucking. The feel of her sucking every last drop of
cum from his jerking cock sent a new round of moans from him, these deeper and
more ragged than the thunderous scream that had ripped from him at the very
second he released all that hot liquid down her throat.

She rested her head against his thigh, her hair soft against
his skin, and he could feel her warm breath panting slightly against him.
Fighting to gain control of his own breathing, he finally found his voice.

“Did I hurt you?”

“No. Not even close.”

“I have this weird urge to say thank you, like that would
even begin to touch what you just did to me.”

She brushed her lips against his thigh, he felt a quiver
pass through his entire muscle. She giggled softly. “I think that about covers
it.”

He reached down and grabbed her hand, lifting her up to meet
his face. Her lips tasted sweet and salty. His head was still spinning, it felt
like the last lingering wisps of fog just as the sun comes up. He gathered her
in close to him, hugging her against his chest. “Baby, do you have any idea
what you do to me?”

“Umm…yeah?”

“No. You don’t, you couldn’t possibly know.” His lips closed
over hers again, lightly, brushing them tenderly with his own. “I need to show
you so you will believe me, and it’s not just sex I’m talking about.”

He looked down at her, not sure exactly what he was
expecting.

“Make love to me,” she whispered into his throat, laying a
soft kiss on the pulse that beat heavily beneath his skin.

The flood of desire that rushed through him threatened not
only to fill his cock to nearly bursting with need, but his heart too. He felt
that familiar slide, losing his senses to her, how she felt, what she did to
him.

Not this time. This time there is something worth so much
more than that. God, I hope I don’t lose it.

“I thought you were never going to ask.”

* * * * *

Grant peeled his eyes open, feeling sunlight on his face.
God what time was it? His hand did a quick sweep of the bed next to him and his
eyes flew open when it came up empty save for a cool, long-deserted sheet.

He sat up, looking around. He’d never woken up in her bed
without her next to him. It was a little disorienting. He lay back again
looking around the now-familiar room. If he hadn’t been curious about where the
hell she’d gone he would have stayed there awhile, enjoying the little gift of
trust that she’d left him on his own in her bedroom and from the sounds of it,
her entire house. He couldn’t detect even the slightest noise other than the
usual little ticks and house sounds.

After hitting the bathroom and sliding on the pair of boxer
briefs he fished out of his jeans, he headed down the hall to the kitchen,
checking her office as he went by and poking his head into the living room at
the end of the hall across from the kitchen. All empty.

He did smell coffee.

Another little habit that had just come easy, coffee. They’d
had the whole caffeine addict discussion and she always made herself coffee in
the morning. Liked it just like he did, strong, black, so dark you couldn’t see
through it. But now, whichever one of them got up first made it. Usually him. But
not today.

Tossing a little sugar into the hot black liquid gold, he
savored that first sip and thought how this morning was shaping up to be
probably on his ten best list. He’d finally gotten somewhere with her last
night or at least he thought so. He’d taken her to the bedroom and done just
what she asked, made love to her. Not hot, heavy, sweaty sex like they’d been
having—and granted it was great sex, amazing sex—but sweet and tender too.
Somewhere during all that he’d wandered into the territory. Not the three words
but for sure letting her know what he felt, how deep this was running with him.
He’d seen her face and she’d said as much, he’d made her feel every bit of what
he was feeling. Safe, adventurous, just wanting to fall in love with her, just
plain stupid crazy. Well, she hadn’t felt that part, but he did.

It made him wish he never found the damn note. Then he could
have just gone on with the day thinking she went to do errands or was out
walking like she actually was, and he wouldn’t have known that she’d gotten up
at the crack of dawn because his big dumb ass had pushed her so hard to feel
the connection he wanted to make with her that she’d woken up in a cold sweat
and ran the hell out the door as fast as she could.

The note didn’t tell him all those details, but close
enough. He filled in the rest himself.

Grant,

Sorry to desert you, I just need some time to think. I’m
heading out for a little hike this morning. I have my cell if there’s an
emergency but I won’t be back before you go to work. Last night was incredible,
just like you always are. Sorry I can’t get my head around some of this, but
don’t give up on me just yet. See you tonight?

You know where everything is, make yourself at home.

Teryn

He could just picture her, that worried look crinkling her
forehead, chewing on her bottom lip as she did when she was trying to resolve a
problem. Great. Now what? Then he saw the PS.

PS—Forgot to tell you, I saw number five. No wonder it’s
hard to see. Cancer sign, just like me. I think I might want to check it out
again soon, really soon, you tasted so good. (Only one more tattoo to find.)

A shiver ran through his entire body remembering the sight
of her lips wrapped around his dick. Just like her, drop the bomb, then follow
with something sweet to take the sting away. His cock jumping to attention at
the slightest memory of the mind-numbing blowjob she’d given him wiped most of
the rest of that sting away. Thinking of how she had reduced him to a
weak-kneed blabbering idiot with that mouth, leaning against the door as if he
didn’t have a spine at all and coming in her mouth in minutes like a teenager,
he sighed.

He needed a new plan.

He looked down, pushing back his boxers and brushing aside
the dark curling hair at the crease where his thigh met his groin he looked at
the small inch-long dark blue symbol hidden there. His first tattoo. Hidden
there from his parents because he was underage and they would have beat him
within an inch of his life for doing it in the first place. The idea of that rebellion,
that first sweet taste of taking a walk on the wild side, setting himself free
so to speak, gave him a brilliant idea.

To hell with sweet, time to set her on fire.

“Hey, Jack, it’s me,” he said, resting his cell on his shoulder
as he tried to pull on his jeans.

“Grant, where the fuck are you?” His brother actually
sounded glad to hear from him.

“Middle of nowhere. Little tiny town.”

“You coming home?”

He snorted. “Not planning on it. How are you doing?”

“Not bad, brother, not bad. Things calmed down about, oh, ya
know, six months after you left. Drama, always with the drama.” Jack laughed,
his familiar, deep chuckle so much like his own.

“I know. Sorry you got stuck with it.” He sighed, getting
his jeans buttoned finally and settling down on the bed.

“Yeah, I know, but I don’t have to be here, either. I
actually don’t mind it. Either that or I just like the torment more I guess. So
what’s up? Just calling so I know you’re still alive? I got your emails. I knew
you were still out there somewhere.”

“Sort of. I thought I better check in but I have an ulterior
motive, too.” His gut tightened even thinking it.

“I can only imagine.”

“You’d be surprised at me since I left, I think.”

“What, turning into a normal human being, for once?” His
brother didn’t sound as if he believed a word of it.

He closed his eyes and drew in a breath, the vision of Teryn
in his head. “Actually, yeah.”

“What’s her name?”

“You’re a smug son of a bitch, aren’t you?” He laughed.

“Yep.” Jack laughed back. “So, what’s her name?”

“Teryn, and actually that’s why I called. I was going to ask
you to do something, but, I uh, now that I’m having a chance to think it over
never mind.”

“You were going to ask for a background check?”

“I was thinking about it, but no, I don’t want to. Doesn’t
seem right.” He shook his head, more at himself over even having the idea in
the first place.

“Uh oh, you got it bad dude if you are going to go with
trust. Wow. The famous playboy Grant Callahan, my mentor and master of I hate
you but I
’
m fucking you, leave them and somehow they would fuck you
again, school of thought. What’d she do to you to make you jump through that
trust hoop?”

He cringed at his brother’s reminder of what he used to be.
“Nothing. If you want the truth, she refuses to admit she has any feelings for
me at all.”

Jack’s deep, loud, laugh echoed through the distance.
“Click, click, boom, my man. Those are the kind that will rip out your soul. In
a good way, of course.”

“I can hope. So hey, how’s everyone? How’s Tate?”

“Tate is in the middle of his own kind of fucked-up love
affair at the moment. I can’t even begin to describe it.”

“Typical Tate.” He smiled, thinking of the trouble the
youngest of the three of them managed to find, but always escaped with a smile.

“This one is uh, a little different. Horse trainer.”

“A guy?”

“No, no no, funny picture, though. No, her name’s Sinclair,
Sin for short, what’s that tell ya?”

He heard the slight squeak of leather, and pictured Jack
leaning back in his office, spinning his chair slightly as he talked as he
always did. The image gave him a small pang of regret. He hated most of his
entire life, but never his brothers. “Tate’s got a run for his money finally.”

“Looks like it, bro, looks like it. What the hell, I’m
supposed to be the good-looking one, why am I out here in the cold?”

“Uh, because you refuse to let any woman be with you longer
than a few hours, you’re convinced all they want is the money.” He pinched the
bridge of his nose as he realized he was the one who had taught Jack that very
lesson in self-preservation.

“Says the champion at shoving off women. Hating women, in
fact, because they want your money and your name. They do all want the money.
You taught me that.”

“Yeah, well…” His own words echoed back at him like a road
marker of the path he didn’t ever want to take again.

“This one doesn’t? I hardly believe it. How’d she get past
that hurdle?” Jack sounded as if he didn’t believe it for a second, as if he
must be insane if he did.

“She’s a writer. Has her own money, doesn’t need mine I
guess.”

“Uh huh. There’s some bullshit there, want to tell me what?”

“Nope.”

“So this is short-term then, you don’t give a shit one way
or the other?”

“No. Not that either.” God, not even close.

“Okay, so, bring her out, let’s meet her.”

A bolt of panic shot through him and he stood to pace back
and forth on the soft carpet of her bedroom. “Funny, Jack. That’s not going to
happen. Least hopefully not until she’s so damn in love with me she can’t leave
me.”

“Oh, anyone would leave your sorry ass, big bro. Fuck. In
love with you? You want a woman to fall in love with you. She must be
something, she got a sister?”

“No, and oh hell no. All right, I better get ready for work.
Good talking to you, Jack. Miss you guys.”

Jack’s voice dropped a level and grew serious. “We miss you
too. Take care, I’ll kick Tate in the ass for you.”

“Cool. Later.” He dropped the cell phone to the bed and
stared at it. Still trying to swallow the events of the last few days, and the
fact that he had just all but admitted to his brother what he had said was
impossible.

He was in love with a woman.

* * * * *

“So, Jack, who was that?” Olivia asked from the office door
in her best society-matron drawl. Drama queen.

“No one important. What do you want, Olivia? I’m working
here.” He spun his chair around, giving her his back.

It didn’t deter her in the least, of course. “Was it Grant?”

“Olivia, how many times do we have to have this
conversation? Grant is gone. Likely to remain gone, oh say, forever. He seems
happy, leave him the fuck alone.”

“What? I would bother him? Right, like I need him around for
anything.”

He turned back to her, moving in for the kill, enjoying the
chance to end not only the conversation but the snotty-ass look on her face as
well. “No, the groundskeeper seems to fuck you from behind just fine, Olivia.”
Her face blanched, but not as severely as he had hoped. He went for the kill,
unable to resist the rare opportunity to blast the bitch of a wife his brother
had been saddled with. “Thought no one would see you? Yeah, well, don’t sweat
it, babe. This family fucks everything that moves, Grant included. Oh wait, he
didn’t fuck you though, did he? Pity.”

Jack stood and left the room before she could let loose with
one of her screeching tirades. There were times he thought they went on for
hours, time stood still when Olivia let loose about Grant. Walking away was his
unknowing mistake. He didn’t stay to see Olivia pick up his cell that he’d
casually tossed on the desk, or write the number Jack had called from on a
piece of paper and tuck it into her pocket.