The Taming (The Black Thunder Series) (15 page)

“You wouldn’t dare,”
she gasped.

“Oh, I would baby, and I would enjoy every minute of it.”

“Did you hurt yourself when you fell in the shower?”

“Which time
? The first or the second?” he growled.

“Either.” She refrained from laughing.

“No.” He kind of smiled. “But my boots Kate; you filled my favorite boots with shaving cream.”

He slipped down to the floor and leaned his back against the door
, taking one boot off and seeing his toes slathered in white cream.

“Are they ruined?”

“No, I don’t think so,” he said looking in his boot. He tossed it on the floor before removing the other one.

“I’m sorry.”

“Are there any more little surprises that I should know about?” He looked up at the door as if he could see her through the wood.

“I wouldn’t use the mouthwash,” she answered.

“You were going to poison me, too?”

“No, I just laced it with Tabasco.”

“I gotta hand it to you, you are creative when you’re mad,” he laughed. “Anything else?”

“No,” Kate lied thinking she didn’t need to tell him about his
cowboy hats. She would clean them up tomorrow and he would never be the wiser.

“So I ticked you off that much today?”

“You definitely pissed in my cornflakes this morning,” she said. “But then you go and do something so sweet. I don’t know what to say.”

“I figured you were having a bad day and needed some cheering up
.”

“You touched my heart Jack,” said Kate and she meant it
.

He nodded though she couldn’t see him
. He wanted to take away her pain and replace it with something good. “So, I take it today’s your anniversary?” he said finally getting down to the heart of the matter.

“In more ways than one,” she sighed and sat down on the lid of the commode
.

“How’s that?”

“He left me one year ago today.”

“He left you on your wedding anniversary?” Jack
stared angrily at the framed picture on her bed. “What a jerk.”

“Yes, he was.” She rested her elbow on her knee with chin on hand.

“He didn’t deserve you. You were too good for him.”

“I don’t know about that,” said Kate pensively
. “I know I wasn’t what he wanted, or needed. But it hurt how he threw me away, like I was nothing.” Tears began to form in her eyes.

“Now don’t be getting all down on yourself
. You’re a beautiful woman baby, and you have a heart of gold. Any man would be lucky to have you.”

“That’s a nice thing to say.” She smiled through her tears.

“I mean it,” he stated matter-of-factly. “I’ve never met anybody like you before, Kate. If I was the kind of man to settle down, I would want somebody just like you to spend my life with.”

“But you’re not that kind of man,” she sighed.

“I don’t know what kind of man I am anymore,” laughed Jack knowing since meeting her, his world had been turned upside down. “I’m probably the kind you need to stay away from.”

“Is that a warning?” Kate felt her heart sink a little.

“Maybe. I don’t want to hurt you, but I can’t help myself when I’m around you.”

“Maybe I should leave.”

“I can’t let you leave,” he whispered. “So don’t get any ideas, okay?”

“Okay
.”

There was silence between the doors as neither knew what to say next, but the energy was still circulating.

“So, where do we go from here?” Kate spoke up.

“I don’t know
.” Jack banged the back of his head on the bathroom door. “I only know what you do to me is driving me insane.”

“What do I do to you?”

“You know what you do to me,” he laughed. “I want you so bad that I can’t think straight and it drives me plumb crazy thinking about you with someone other than me.”

Kate couldn’t help but smile
. It was good for her bruised ego, especially today. “Be careful what you say. Those kinds of words could make a girl think you like her.”

“Hell, Kate,” he sighed as he ran his fingers through his hair
. “Isn’t it obvious? I can’t keep my hands off you. Of course I like you. It’s you I can’t figure out.”

“Me?” asked Kate surprised
. She had always presumed he knew the way she felt, and that was why he was relentless in his pursuit.

“I know you fight this thing between us way too much and I can’t for the life of me figure out why
. You confuse the hell out of me.”

“You scare me, Jack,” she said as she picked at her fingernails
. “You are so intense, and I’m afraid you’re going to swallow me whole.”

“That’s the difference between you and me, baby,” said Jack thinking about the irony of it
. “God, I can’t help but want to swallow you whole. The need to consume every inch of you overpowers anything else.”

“Wow
-” said Kate as she felt a rush inside her belly.

“Did I just wet your panties baby?” he laughed.

“A little,” confessed Kate as she felt the sweet surge move lower.

“Oh, you shouldn’t have told me that,” he groaned as he felt his own arousal
. “You want to open the door so I can take care of it for you?”

“No,” she giggled
. “I’m not ready to take that plunge.”

“What do I gotta do to get you to say yes to me?”

“What we’re doing right now is a start.”

“Oh God, you want all the feeling shit, don’t you?” He shook his
head and banged his head against the door again.

“It helps,” said Kate as she heard his head knock against the wooden frame.

“I’m not good at it, baby. The only way I know how to express what I feel is between my legs and right now he’s telling me he wants to feel what it’s like to be inside you.”

“You talk about yourself in the first person?”
She giggled again.

“I was speaking metaphorically,” he chuckled.

He knew what she wanted, and for the first time in his life he was willing to give it a try. He shook his head in disbelief knowing what he had to do to make her say yes to him. “Tomorrow is Clara and Adam’s party,” said Jack. “I assume you’re going.”

“Of course I’m going.”

“You want to go together?”

“You think that’s wise?” asked Kate thinking about Clara’s reaction seeing her and Jack arrive at the party as a couple
.

“You may be right
. Clara and Adam aren’t too happy with me right now, seeing how Clara made Adam chew my ass out for groping you all the time.”

“We can both go separately, but it doesn’t stop us from spending time together once we’re there,” she suggested.

“So you want to play hook up at the party?” He grinned as he imagined the fun they could have sneaking around right under Adam and Clara’s nose.

“Sure, why not.”

He could feel her smile through the door. “I’ll take that challenge. But be prepared ‘cause I am going to be merciless in getting you all worked up without anyone seeing.”

“Only if I can do the same to you,” she flirted back.

“Oh, I’m counting on it,” said Jack with his thoughts racing what he was going to do.

“Then I’ll see you tomorrow at the party.”

“I’m glad our little chat went well. You feeling better, baby, about today I mean?”

“I am,” smiled Kate.

“Good,” he smiled and stood up. “I’m leaving now.”

“You want me to walk you to the door?” She stood.

“No, you best stay where you are until I’m gone,” he grinned. “I still have a need to do something to that sweet ass of yours, and if I see you I may not be able to control myself.”

“Good night, Jack,” she said as she leaned against the door.

“Sweet dreams, Barbie doll.”

She listened to his footfalls disappear before she opened the door and left the bathroom.

Twelve

Rock My World

C
lara’s parties were always the best. Even in college her weekend mixers were the boast of the campus. It was no different now as Kate pulled up alongside Clara’s house.

The street was lined a block long
, hosting an assortment of trucks and jeeps with several parked on the desert dirt lawn. Kate pulled her Honda Civic into the driveway, shimming between an old Bronco and a Suburban. Before she had a chance to climb from her car, Clara raced from the house and greeted her by the car door.

“Happy Fourth of July!”

“I made a fruit salad,” said Kate as she stepped from the car holding a large aluminum bowl housing an assortment of fruits, walnuts, and miniature marshmallows.

“Screw the fruit salad,” said Clara as she searched the backseat of the car
. “Where’s the vodka?”

“It’s in the trunk,” said Kate seeing her friend was already feeling good
.

Kate popped the trunk just as the front door swung open and Adam emerged from the house.

“Kate’s got the booze for my special punch,” exclaimed Clara as her husband strolled alongside her.

“It’s about time,” said Adam as he
collected the jumbo size bottle of vodka from her trunk. “You’re late Kate.”

“Very funny,”
she smirked as she heard him laugh at his own pun. “It’s your fault I’m late. I had to go to Carson City to pick up the booze.”

“Well, we’re glad you did.” He kissed her on the cheek then proceeded to head back to the house
. “Clara, you need to get Kate a drink.”

“Come on, let’s go in the house so I can introduce you to
everyone.” Clara placed her hand on her friend’s arm and escorted her up the lawn and to the house.

“Looks like you have a house full.”

“We always do,” she smiled. Clara took the bowl from Kate and set it on the table with the other food.

The backyard was filled with family and friends of the hosting couple
. Kate recognized a few familiar faces, one being Clara’s sister, Felicia, and her energy-ridden son, Henry, who was now the glorious toddler age of three. Seeing Kate, the miniature boy charged toward her and wrapped his arms around her legs as he almost knocked her off her feet.

“Katie,” he squealed as he lifte
d two chubby cheeks covered in orange cheese curl crumbs and grinned.

“How’s my big boy?” Kate laughed as she picked him up and held him in her arms
.

“Now don’t be messing up Miss Kate’s dress with them nasty fingers of yours,” said Felicia as she strode toward Kate and her son
. “It’s good to see you, Kate.”

“You too, Felicia.” The two woman exchanged a warm embrace
.

“How are you liking Nevada life so far
?”

“It’s not so bad.” At least not now that she and Jack had worked out their differences.

“I’m glad you moved out here closer to Clara,” said Felicia. “You’re one of us now.”

“I don’t know if I would go so far as to say that,” laughed Kate
. “It’s kind of hard to leave the California girl behind.”

“Kate, we need to get you a drink,” said Felicia
. “What do you want?”

“What do you have?”

“Start her off with the Rumbo Jumbo,” said Clara as she took Henry from Kate and set him on his feet.

“Oh, yum
.” Kate’s eyes lit up, remembering the cocktail they had created from their college days, consisting of dark rum, pineapple and orange juice, and lots of coconut rum.

“I’ll be right back,” said Felicia, taking her son’s hand
.

As she walked away Kate noticed her smiling to a gentleman talking to Adam
. He nodded and with an admiring smile of his own watched her feminine bottom swish away.

“Who’s that
?” Kate pointed in the direction of the rather good looking man with jet black hair and a trimmed goatee standing along the patio wall talking to Adam. “That’s Ethan,” said Clara. “He and Felicia are dating. She is so hooked on him it ain’t even funny.”

“Is that good for her to be hooked?”

“Darling it’s great,” laughed Clara. “Keeps that crazy ass of hers occupied so she isn’t bugging me all the time. Come on, I’ll introduce you.” Clara led her through the crowd and toward the good looking man.

“Hello, stranger,” Clara beamed as she interrupted the man’s conversation with Adam
. “What scheme are you trying to talk my husband into this time?” Clara leaned against Adam as he wrapped his arm around her waist.

“Do I scheme?” Ethan feigned innocently.

“Don’t let him fool you,” said Clara to Kate. “He’s always posing some business deal to my husband. The last time he took him for a grand.”

“That was just as much my fault as Ethan’s,” said Adam
. “But like I was just telling him, I’m not doing anything without your approval.”

“You got that right,” said Clara. “Ethan, have you met my friend, Kate
?”

“Well, hello there,” he greeted her with a friendly Nevada smile.

“Hi.”

“Kate just moved to town,”
added Clara.

“You don’t say
. Where’re you from?”

“Santa Cruz.”

“Why would anyone leave Santa Cruz to come to all this brown dirt?” Ethan asked with a grin.

“I’ve been asking myself the same question,” smiled Kate
.

“Say, I like her,” said Ethan nudging Adam with his elbow.

Her joke broke the ice and Kate breathed a sigh of relief. As they continued to talk, Felicia breezed by planting a drink in her hand. Ethan reached out and pulled the sweet red head to him. Kate sipped the drink through the straw in her plastic cup as she watched Felicia lean up and smile at him before he planted a quick kiss to her lips

“Oh, this is better than I remember,” said Kate taking a long sip again.

“What are you drinking?” Ethan asked.

“I made her a Rumbo Jumbo,” said Felicia giving her new beau a saucy little grin.

“It was Clara’s and my signature drink in college,” said Kate.

“You two went to school together?” Ethan asked.

“Roommates and BFF’s for four years straight,” said Clara. “She’s still my BFF.” Clara slung her arm around Kate and pulled her close.

“You lasted for four years in college?” Ethan raised his eye brow in disbelief.

“I went for the fun,” said Clara. “Kate was the studious one.”

“Oh, so it was you who helped our little party-goer graduate,” Ethan laughed looking at Kate.

“I helped her some,” she said.

“Who are you kidding,” Felicia laughed
. “Kate did most of my sister’s papers for her.”

“I would have had her take my exams if I thought I could g
et away with it,” added Clara and nudged her friend.

“Clara i
s exaggerating,” Kate replied and nudged her back.

“Don’t be bullshitting a
bullshitter,” said Ethan as he nudged Kate. “Did she at least pay you for your time?”

“No, she didn’t,” Kate grinned as she looked a Clara
.

“I think that’s my cue to leave before you give my friend anymore ideas,” said Clara
. “Come on Adam, I need your help in the kitchen.”

“What do you need my help for?”

“I need you to be the taste tester for my punch.” She took his arm and scooted away before Kate started calculating just how much she owed.

Just then Felicia saw
Henry running and almost knock a drink out of one of the guest’s hand.

“
Henry, quit your running,” she hollered at the child who paid her no mind and kept going. “That boy is going to make me old before my time.”

She paused and gave another flirty smile to her good looking man before running off after
Henry, screaming all the way.

“She’s a nut job,” he grinned as he watched her fly across the patio swooshing that marvelous backside
. “But she’s smoking hot and I’m into her. I like the crazy ones.”

“Oh well, that’s more than I wanted to know,” Kate laughed as she shifted back and forth on her feet.

“You want to sit?” Ethan motioned to the two lounge chairs by the stone wall.

She nodded and they walked over to the chairs
.

“So Kate, what do you do?” he asked as she leaned back and
stretched her legs across the lounge.

“I’m a teacher,” she said
. “What about you?”

“Me?” he chuckled
. “Believe it or not, I am a professional gambler.”

“That’s what you do for a living?” Kate never met a professional gambler before, but if she had, she would have thought he would look just like Ethan
. “Are you good at it?”

“Darling, I am great at it,” he boasted as he reached into his shirt pocket and pulled out a pack of cigarettes
. “Smoke?”

“No, thanks,” said Kate as she watched him light a cigarette for himself.

“The end of the month Felicia and I are heading to Vegas for a poker tournament.” Ethan took a drag and exhaled a line of smoke. “Say, you should come with us. Clara and Adam are going too. We would all have a blast together.”

“I’m not sure I’m the Vegas type,” she laughed feeling a bit nervous by his offer
. She sipped on her drink and looked across the patio seeing Clara and Adam in the kitchen, but there was no sign of Jack.

“You only live once, Kate,” he smiled at her
. “I bet by the end of the night, if I got Clara on my side we could talk you into it.”

“Oh, I don’t know about that.”

“You want to make a wager on it?” His eyebrow arched.

“No.” This time Kate really laughed
.

“I bet you one hundred bucks, by the end of the night, you’ll change your mind.”

“Pretty sure of yourself, aren’t you?”

“I wouldn’t be where I am today if I wasn’t sure of myself.”

“What is it about Nevada men that makes you all so cocky?”

“We’re just bred that way,” he laughed.

Kate had no doubt it was in the genes, or maybe in the jeans they wore. They were a different stock that was for sure. Ethan was a charmer. He was a smooth-talker and the bullshit rolled off his tongue like sweet sugar. Jack was different. He was intense and he did everything in a headstrong way. They were both confident in their manner, but they were as different as night and day.

Her stomach fluttered thinking about Jack
. He should be here any minute and it made her both excited and a little nervous. She knew the way Jack was and she wondered if she should stay put and continue her conversation with Ethan or find refuge somewhere else before Jack got all hot and bothered by her talking to this man.

Jack pulled up in front of Adam and Clara’s house and saw Kate’s car wedged between a Bronco and a Suburban. A satisfied grin formed on his face and he pulled up behind blocking her car with his truck. His stomach did a quick flip in anticipation of seeing her. He climbed from his truck taking the twelve pack of beer with him, and strutted up the walkway to the front door. He made his way into the kitchen and placed his beer on the shelf in the fridge before glancing out onto the patio and giving it a quick scan hoping to see Kate.

The patio was filled with long term friends from his youth, but he didn’t see her amongst the crowd until he spotted his old friend
. Jack’s mouth flung wide open as he saw Ethan sitting in a lounge chair next to a full-breasted gorgeous blonde with long legs. His eyes narrowed and his lip curled into a frown. He glared at his friend and his back went rigid, his feet started moving in long strides across the kitchen linoleum and out onto the patio.

Kate felt his presence the minute he stepped onto the stone pavers
. She looked up and there he was looming tall over her and Ethan.

“Hello, Barbie doll,” said Jack with a planted smile on his face, but Kate could see his pupils dancing with cold steel
.

“Jack?” She feigned surprise, but inside her belly did a little flip.

“Mind if I sit?” said Jack more like a command than a request. He planted himself on Kate’s lounge chair as she slid her feet up just in time before he sat on them.

“You two know each other
?” Ethan sat up in his chair.

“Kate works for me,” said Jack as he stared at Ethan.

“I thought you were a teacher?”

“I am, but I’m temporarily employed on the ranch for the summer,” Kate explained.

“She lives with me too,” said Jack as he gave her a big grin. “Isn’t that right, baby?”