Authors: Anne Rainey

Tags: #Red Hots!, #Contemporary Romance

What She Craves (8 page)

BOOK: What She Craves

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“Do you enjoy the work?”

“I can set my own hours. I don’t have a boss breathing down my neck. The money is good. All in all, not too bad. Every job has its drawbacks, though.”

Just then the waiter came over and asked if they wanted dessert. She was about to refuse, but Gage spoke up before she could get the words out.

“What do you have in the way of chocolate?”

“Our chocolate pie is pretty popular.”

“Send us a big slice.”

“Us?”

He pushed his plate away. “I’m not eating it all by myself. You’re helping.”

Her stomach loved the idea, but her hips not so much. “Uh-uh, I can’t afford the calories.”

His gaze traveled to her chest and back up again. “A few bites of pie won’t hurt. Trust me.”

She laughed and caved. “Who am I to refuse chocolate?”

He winked. “That’s the spirit.”

As they drove home, Gage had to grip the steering wheel to keep his hands from reaching toward Summer. Damn, it’d been hell watching her eat the chocolate pie. The little sounds of satisfaction she made after each bite had his mind going straight to the gutter.

He took his eyes off the road long enough to see her stroking the smooth leather seat with a fingertip.

Hell, Gage wanted that finger on the head of his dick. She wiggled as if attempting to get more comfortable. The movement caused her pretty breasts to jiggle beneath her beige tank top. To keep from

drooling, Gage focused on the road again. When he spotted her house, he pulled into the driveway and killed the engine, then turned toward her. “We’re home.”

“Yes, we are,” she whispered.

His gaze roamed over her possessively before he leaned in and brushed his lips over hers. “Like satin.

I bet you’re like that all over, aren’t you, sweetheart?”

“M-maybe you should find out for yourself.”

Could he be hearing her right? “Summer?”

“I should be playing hard to get, I know, but I want you, Gage.”

“I want you too.”

She eyed his crotch and smiled. “I sort of gathered.”

He stroked her hair, enjoying the soft strands beneath his fingers. “You go to a man’s head, sweetheart.”

“I’m glad.”

He cupped her cheek and murmured, “You’re sure?”

“Very.”

Hell, yeah.

Love takes courage. Loving two men takes twice as much.

The Boys Next Door

At seventeen, Tommy Ambinder was Annie Parsons’ first love, the center of her world. Almost.

There was a secret spot reserved for Judah, Tommy’s elder brother. On the day she discovered Judah wanted her, as well, the aftermath drove Annie out of town—and a wedge between the men she loved.

Now, haunted by guilt, Annie has returned to Melgrove, Montana with one hope in her heart—that twenty years has overcome the rift between the Ambinder boys. If they’ve mended fences, maybe she can repair her own life too.

Tommy’s missed Annie all these years, but he never realized how much until one glimpse reignites the passion that time hasn’t quenched. Something else hasn’t changed, either—half of her heart still belongs to Judah.

Now, with Annie poised to run again, history is threatening to repeat itself—unless one of them has the courage to break free of the pattern and blaze a new trail that’s wide enough for all three.

Warning: This book contains all the volcanic intensity of first love, searing-hot sex scenes, and two brothers sharing the one woman they love!

Enjoy the following excerpt for
The Boys Next Door: Judah froze in shock as Annie buried her face against his chest, her arms wrapped around him so tight he could feel her heart thudding. “Oh God, Judah!” Tears were streaming down her face as she babbled, “I thought you were gone, I didn’t know what happened, the house was all empty and I didn’t know where you were!”

She looked up at him finally, a frantic sort of happiness shining in her eyes. “How are you? How’s Tommy? Is he okay? God, I’ve missed you!”

He wanted to shake her. He wanted to hit her, almost. For twenty years she’d been gone, vanished off the face of the earth, and now here she was smiling at him, telling him she’d missed him?

How in twenty years could she have changed so little? She was still as impulsive, still as heedless of consequences, blissfully unaware of how her actions affected others.

He wanted to kiss her so badly he almost couldn’t breathe.

He held himself rigid, not returning her embrace. Uncertainty bloomed like a shadow in the hazel depths of her eyes, and she dropped her arms, looking away.

Judah felt his heart lurch back into motion as her gaze released him, the sudden rush of blood making his head spin.

Annie Parsons. If she’d changed at all in twenty years, he couldn’t see it. Oh sure, there were a few wrinkles at the corners of her eyes, and the lustrous brown hair which her mother had always kept neatly trimmed now hung in a careless shag cut he wasn’t sure he liked. Unthinkingly, he started to reach out and brush the dust from her hair—then Judah stopped himself, fisting his hand at his side.

What in hell did he think he was doing?

Gritting his jaw, he jerked his chin at the hillside. “Came over to see what spooked the livestock.

What are you doing here, Annie?”

She gave him a quick, almost guilty sidelong glance, then shrugged, her gaze tracing the low, weathered hills. “I just…wanted to see how you were, I guess. I’m sorry I panicked. When I saw the house…”

He nodded to himself. He knew that panic. It had flared in his own gut the day she’d disappeared, making him push past her crying mother and storm up the stairs, determined to see for himself.

Her abandoned room, her empty closet, had hit him like a hard punch straight to the stomach. Even now, the memory could still rock him if he wasn’t careful.

“It just got to be too much to keep up, after Dad died.” His terse explanation didn’t begin to carry the weight of grief of those days, the way everything had seemed to fall apart all at once. Even her parents had moved away shortly thereafter.

But Annie must’ve caught an echo of his emotion anyway—she looked at him, soft concern showing in her hazel eyes. “When did it happen?”

It was his turn to shrug, looking out over the pastures. “Fifteen years ago.”
Five years after you left.

Where did you go, Annie?
He kicked at a clump of dried leaves clotting the porch, making them rustle. “It’s amazing how quick things go to pieces out here.”

She was still watching him, her gaze seeming to cut straight through the wall he was trying so hard to keep between them. The warm compassion in her eyes stroked him in a way that both angered and soothed him.

Damn it, Annie, stop looking at me like that.

“I’m sorry, Judah.”

“Yeah, well…” He nodded briefly, pushing away her sympathy. “Ma’s doing all right. She’s sixty-three now, can you believe it? Sixty-three and still gets up at five a.m. to feed the chickens.”

“And Tommy? How is he?”

Judah froze at the question. Annie’s eyes were wide, direct, the concern shading their hazel depths not only for him now. Her voice was so gentle, damn it, asking about Tommy. As if she still loved him. As if she still cared.

Anger flared inside him, along with the old, twisted jealousy. If she’d ever truly loved Tommy, if she’d cared about him at all, she would never have let Judah kiss her beneath the bleachers. Never would have let him touch her as he’d dreamed of doing. Never would have run to his arms in the night…

Judah cleared his throat. Against his will, his gaze flicked downward, tracing the line of her thighs through her faded jeans. “He’s all right. He’s in Washington these days. Bought a farm there. He’s married now.” He watched Annie closely, wanting to see her reaction.

If his words surprised her, she hid it well. “That’s great. When was this?”

“Seven, eight years ago. Something like that. He’s got kids,” Judah elaborated. “Two boys and a girl.”

Something flickered briefly in her eyes, but she only smiled. “That makes you an uncle.

Congratulations.”

“Yeah, I guess it does.” He cleared his throat again.

“And you?” she asked. “How about you?”

Her eyes were too soft. Too warm. Too lovely. Judah shifted uncomfortably and pushed back his Stetson. “Me? I’ll never leave Montana.” He snorted. “You know me.”

“Do I?”

Two words, one little question, and suddenly it seemed like there wasn’t enough air for his lungs.

Never mind the vast blue sky above them, or the miles of open, rolling hills all around. Judah moved closer, his voice dropping half an octave. “I’ll always be here, Annie. You know that.”

Her gaze rose to meet his, full of shadows. Maybe longing. Something thrummed in the air between them, and Judah stepped away quickly.

Christ, what was he
doing
?

“So, how long you in town for?” He leaned against the porch railing, absently noting the flaking paint.

Ought to do something about that
, he thought, then:
Why bother? It’s not like it matters.

But it still broke his heart.

Annie shrugged. “Just overnight, really. I booked a room at the boarding house.”

He nodded. “You drive out here?”

“Yeah. I parked up on the ridge. I…I didn’t want anyone to see me.”

Which was probably smart, Judah admitted. Even thoughtful. Maybe Annie had changed, if only a little.

Suddenly, he wasn’t so happy with the idea.

Then he pictured her sliding pell-mell down the slope, sending dirt flying and scaring the cattle half to pieces. He had to fight to suppress a smile. Yeah, that was the Annie he remembered, all right.

“Well, come on,” he said, straightening. “I’ll give you a lift.”

She was silent as he drove down the long, dusty ranch road, hopping out without his asking to open the livestock gate at the far end. Her hair hung in her face, and in the afternoon light she looked as slim and

nimble as she had at seventeen. She grinned at him as she climbed back into the truck. “Thought I forgot that, didn’t you?”

Judah merely grunted and turned onto Route 32.

But as they rattled up the dirt track running up to the ridge, he heard himself saying, “If you’re bored tonight, go on down to the pool hall. They put in a dance floor,” he added awkwardly.
Shut up, Judah!

“Are you going to be there?”

“Dunno. I doubt it.”

Hell no, Judah, and what in hell are you thinking?

“Well, maybe I’ll think about it, then,” she answered. “Thanks for the lift. And say hi to your mom for me. I miss her.” Opening the door, she hesitated. “It’s good to see you, Judah.”

He didn’t answer, and after a moment she climbed out. He waited as she walked to what looked like a brand-new Buick, started it up and backed it around. Her eyes met his once through the windshield, and she waved as she drove past.

He didn’t wave back.

Judah watched in the rearview mirror until the Buick was out of sight. He wasn’t going to the pool hall. It had taken too many years for the hole in his chest to stop aching constantly. Too many sleepless nights wondering where she was, how she was. Wondering if she was all right.

She was fine, and that was enough. He didn’t need to know more than that. He didn’t
want
to know more.

And he sure as hell didn’t want her getting anywhere near Tommy.