Serial Love: Saints Protection & Investigation (13 page)

Bethany drove slowly
down the long drive, trees lining the way blocking the view of her destination.
When he said security gate, he really meant it,
she thought nervously. Glancing at the homemade cobbler sitting on the seat next to her, she wondered if she was doing the right thing.
His business. His life. His world. Can I fit into that?
All she knew was that when she woke up this morning, his face was the only thing she wanted to see. Breathing deeply to quell the nerves threatening to take over, she continued up the drive.

Through the trees, she was able to discern a huge, two-story log cabin, wide front porch made out of the same dark wood. Two chimneys, one on either end, stood as sentinels to the impressive structure.
Wow!
was the only thought that came to mind.

Then she saw him standing on the front porch. Waiting. For her. Heart pounding, she could not keep the smile from her face. Leaning against one of the log columns, one leg crossed in front of the other, arms crossed over his massive chest, and that face…that gorgeous face staring straight at her.

She stopped her car at the curve in front of the house, assuming a garage was around back. Before she could put her hand on the door, she found it opened for her. He reached in, taking her hand and gently pulled her out.

They stood, silently staring at each other for a moment. He peered into her eyes, finding what he searched for—trust.

“Hey, beautiful,” he greeted, noting the long waves falling down her back and perfect complexion, tanned from working in the sun.

“Hey, yourself,” she replied with a smile. She tilted her face up to his, pleased when his lips found hers in a soft kiss.

“Come on in,” he invited.

She suddenly started, saying, “I have a present for you. Well, actually it’s from both Gram and me.” She moved to the passenger side and pulled out a huge pan, covered with aluminum foil. Standing, she bumped the car door with her hip to close it. Turning back to him, she saw his eager expression.

Laughing, she said, “You don’t even know what’s in here.”

Taking the heavy platter from her, he replied, “Baby, whatever you and Ann fixed is gonna be amazing.” The scent of the fruit wafted from the dish and he lifted an eyebrow in question.

“It’s peach cobbler, just out of the oven,” she explained. “We made a lot. We had a ton of fresh peaches from the farmer’s market down the street and,” she gave a little shrug, “I wasn’t sure if you wanted to share with…um…whoever comes and works here…um…with you.” She suddenly realized that he might not be alone. He might be working and not have time for her now.

“If you’re busy, I can come another time,” she said, stepping back toward her car. “I don’t want to interrupt anything.”

His gaze caught hers and he could not hold the smile from his face. “Relax, beautiful. No one’s here now except us. Yes, I’ve got some men who work for me who will be here later, but you’re always welcome.” Seeing the tension leave her body, he jerked his head toward the house. “Come on in.”

With him carrying the cobbler, she walked beside him into his house. Once inside he moved toward the kitchen counter to place the dish there, while she stayed in the front foyer, unabashedly gawking.

The living room on the left was two-stories with a fireplace on the inside wall and large windows on the two walls facing the outside. The panoramic view of the mountains behind his woods was spectacular. The furniture was oversized, but considering the size of him and his friends, she was not surprised. The colors were neutral, browns, tans, and taupe, but there was nothing boring about the effect. Dark, exposed wood was everywhere and the few pieces of artwork on the walls were obviously expensive, but not ostentatious.

He was walking back into the room just as her eyes had wandered to the right, where a long, heavy wooden table sat in the dining area. That room was minimally furnished, but with the table large enough to hold at least ten people, the space did not appear bare. A quick glance behind him showed the kitchen, granite counter tops, and stainless appliances.

He glimpsed at her wide eyes and moved directly into her line of vision. “You okay, babe?”

She blinked slowly. Twice. Before becoming un-glued. “Yes, yes,” she said in a rush. “I’m sorry. I’m just overwhelmed at how beautiful your place is.” Looking around, she giggled. “I guess I thought you had a little cabin in the woods.”

“You’ve got the sweet, little cabins in the woods, darlin’. I built this for my comfort and to have my business here as well.” He linked his fingers with hers and said, “Come on,” leading her back into the kitchen. He turned and grasped her waist, noting how his hands spanned around her middle. With an effortless lift, he placed her on a tall kitchen stool as he rounded the counter.

She cocked her head at him in question and he chuckled. “You brought dessert, so I’ll throw a couple of sandwiches together.”

In a few minutes, he had fixed two huge sandwiches, leaving her to wonder how she would ever get her mouth around hers, and they made their way to his deck, which was just as large as the front porch and had even more spectacular views. A table was placed under a wooden arbor, with a sunscreen overhead, capturing the breeze while repelling the hot rays of the summer sun. Setting their plates down, she sat across from him and they began to eat.

A comfortable silence ensued as they enjoyed the meal, the warm summer day, and the majestic view in the background.

She looked down at her half-eaten sandwich and then at his clean plate. “I can’t eat another bite,” she groaned, then grinned as he slid the rest over to his plate and finished it off.

She spied a porch swing at the other end and while she loved it, she had to admit that it appeared to be misplaced here in his male bastion. He saw where her gaze landed and stood, taking her hand once more. Leading her to the swing, they settled side by side, its slow rocking motion relaxing them both.

“Is Ann okay by herself?” he asked, realizing that he had been so focused on Bethany coming he had not thought of her grandmother.

“Sally’s with her and Roscoe’s working today,” she replied with a smile. She looked down at their clasped hands.
This feels right. Like I’m taking a chance but it’s not really a chance.

Looking around at the beautiful vista in front of her, she cocked her head to the side and asked, “Why here, Jack? Why not some big building in Richland?”

“Tony’s got a place like that,” he answered. “Nice building, not exactly downtown, but still in the city. Underground garage, a reception area with a nice lady that books his appointments. Behind the conference rooms for clients is a huge area where his team works.”

“You didn’t want to have that kind of setup?”

“I need space. Fresh air. Grew up on a farm in southwest Virginia and I find the city to be…I don’t know…choking, I guess.”

She nodded her understanding. “I lived and worked in the city but always loved coming to Mountville. And now, I can’t imagine moving back.”

“I also didn’t want to live out here but have to drive for fuckin’ ever to get to my office. So, I built everything I need right here. Got space, land, privacy. My men come out here to meet. I’m only about twenty minutes outside of Charlestown, so it works for all of us.”

They sat in companionable silence for a few more minutes, the gentle movement of the swing relaxing both of them.

“So…” he said, dragging out the word. “You came today.” His statement was more of a question. An unspoken,
What does this mean?

She lifted her gaze to his, unable to hold back the smile that escaped when she recognized the strong man’s nervousness.

“Yeah,” she whispered. “I came.” Looking out over his neat yard for a moment, she turned back to him as she felt the squeeze on her fingers.

She had practiced what to say ever since she woke this morning after seeing his face in her dreams all night long. Licking her lips, she could not remember her speech so she blurted, “You say you don’t have a white-picket fence in your future, Jack, but you came to me. You let me in. The bracelet…the coming to the rescue yesterday…all of that could be just being a good neighbor…granted a good neighbor who has the means to protect someone. But when I say you came to me, I mean you
came
to me. You talked. You let me in. Then you kissed me and said you wanted more. And you gave me the freedom to choose to come here if that was what I wanted. I came today because I want in. I want to know you. I’d like to see where we can go. But I’ve got no idea what I’m getting myself into if you still say there’s no white fence.”

He listened as her words rushed out, warmed by the fact that she had come…and understanding his words had made her feel lost.

“For so long, finding someone was not what was in my future,” he answered honestly. “I fucking loved what I did in the Army with Special Forces and then on my team. I knew if I wanted to replicate it here, I needed money, dedication, and total commitment to building a business that would make a difference. It’s taken several years and quite honestly, in a shorter period than I would have thought, it’s booming and making money for me and my new team. But it’s taken my one hundred percent to make it so.”

She nodded, understanding that just like she had been committed to her job and now to Gram’s care and business, he had done the same.
But what is he offering? I can’t do casual.

Gathering her thoughts, she plunged on. “I get that…I really do. But Jack, I can’t be…um…an incidental…um…you know.”

His brow furrowed, not following her train of thought. “Baby, you’re gonna have to spell it out for me, ’cause I’m not sure what you mean. An incidental what?”

Blushing furiously, she felt her cheeks warm and not from the summer heat. Leaning in to whisper as though they were in a crowd instead of in the middle of nowhere with no one else around, she said, “You know. A…friend with benefits. A…um…fuck bud—”

Rearing back in dismay, he growled, “A fuck buddy? That’s what you think I’m offering?”

“I don’t know,” she rushed. “You haven’t really told me exactly what you’re thinking.” Blinking furiously, she knew her blush had deepened.

To her surprise, he pulled her over, sliding her entire body until she was tucked into his. He wrapped his arms around her small frame, holding her tightly, praying she could feel his sincerity even if his words had not conveyed it.

“Okay, baby, here goes. You’re right, I haven’t made myself plain, which makes no fuckin’ sense because I’m a man who usually puts it right out there.” Pushing her back slightly so that he could hold her gaze while his arms continued to hold her body, he said, “I felt something for you from the first time we met. Started out as admiration, moved to concern, and now has shifted to you being someone I want to know. I can’t promise you the dream future right now, but I want to spend time with you and see where this might take us. The rest, we’ll figure out as we go. But you being an incidental, fuck-buddy is not what’s on the table.” He peered into her sky-blue eyes and asked, “Understand?”

A smile split her face and he had to admit, lit his heart. Reaching up his hand to cup her cheek, he rubbed his thumb over the soft skin. Leaning in, he stopped a whisper away. “I need to hear you say it, beautiful.”

“I’m with you, Jack. I’m willing to see where this goes.”

Hearing those words, he slammed his lips over hers, taking her mouth in a kiss that devastated any doubts she may have had. Plunging his tongue into her warmth, he explored her feel, her taste, drinking in her essence. He shifted her around so she was now sitting in his lap, her back to his arm still wrapped around her and her legs stretched over the seat of the swing.

He continued to cup her face as he took the kiss deeper, swallowing her moans as he plundered her mouth. Sliding his hand from her jaw downward, he felt her pulse at the base of her neck before it barely skimmed over her breasts and down to her waist. Slipping under the bottom of her shirt, he promised himself he just wanted to touch her skin, but that was a mistake. The instant his fingers found the silky smoothness of her stomach, he had to force himself to move them to glide over her back instead of her breasts, where they wanted to be.

His cock was painfully pushing against his zipper, and her sweet ass wiggling in his lap was not helping. Shifting his right arm, he leaned her further back as he slid his hand to the front until her bra covered breasts filled his palms. Her nipples were discernable through the material and he gently pinched one as her head fell back against his arm.

Bethany tried to remember her last lover but it had been awhile and her body was now decrying that loss. She had not even used her battery operated boyfriend in so long she was not sure where it was located. The electricity jolting from her nipples to her core had her already climbing the peak, wanting to throw herself off into the abyss.

Throwing caution to the wind, she reached down to lift her shirt up over her bra and as his eyes sought hers quickly, a lust-filled smile was all she could offer. His smile matched hers as his fingers pulled the cups of her bra down exposing her rosy-tipped nipples, already pebbled as they beckoned his mouth.

He answered their call, kissing his way down to her breasts, his mouth latched onto one extended nipple, tugging and pulling as he sucked it deeply. She involuntarily reached her hand down, touching herself through her jean shorts, but he moved her hand away and replaced it with his.

She assisted him with the zipper and he slid his fingers down the front of her shorts, dragging them through her wet folds. That elicited another moan from her, zinging straight to his dick, which was ready to explode.

With his mouth sucking her breasts and his fingers plunging inside her pussy, she forgot all time and space, only concentrating on the amazing way her body was responding to his touch. She pushed her hips up toward his hand, urging him to continue as she felt her orgasm impending.

He chuckled at the movement of her hips, knowing his fingers needed no encouragement to continue their deep exploration of her warm channel. He pressed his thumb on her clit and that sent her over the edge.