“That’s because you wimped out on me and Karla and e-mailed us,” Sophia said in a dry tone.Sandra laughed. “Yes, I did. I figured it would be easier to just e-mail you both and get it out. It would certainly take less time than a phone call because you both would grill me mercilessly.”A grin tugged at the corners of Sophia’s mouth as they entered Derrick’s living room. Sophia glanced around and when she saw no one she turned to Sandra, lowering her voice.“Is he good to you, Sandra? You look happy but are you really?”Sandra smiled, letting her happiness show on her face as she looked at her friend. “He’s very good to me, Sophia. Things are better than I imagined they could be. I really am happy.”Sophia reached out and squeezed her hand. “Then I’m happy for you. I know I didn’t seem that way in the beginning, and I’m sorry for that. I was just worried about you. I do want you to be happy, Sandra. I hope you know that.”“I do. I love you. Don’t ever forget that.”Derrick entered the
“If you don’t apologize to Sandra right this minute, I’ll ask you to leave, and furthermore, you will come into the office on Monday only to clear out your desk and tender your resignation,” Derrick said in a frigid tone. “What is between me and her is none of your business. She doesn’t require your approval or blessing, though she’d like to have both. She loves you and she’d cut off her arm before ever purposely hurting you. But you’re hurting her and that’s bullshit. I won’t have it and I damn sure won’t allow you to come into our home. Yes, our home, Sophia. Sandra is with me, and you have two choices. Accept it and be happy for her or get out. Which is it going to be?”Sandra felt the color bleed from her own face, a match to Sophia’s. She shook uncontrollably and it seemed to anger Derrick all the more. His hold tightened around her to the point that she could barely breathe. No, she hadn’t expected Sophia to take it well, but neither had she expected Sophia to lash out at her li
“What the hell is going on here?” Karla demanded. “Sophia bolted like a bat out of hell the minute the doorbell rang.”“Long story,” Sandra muttered. “Derrick is bringing in James Brown as a partner, and Sophia didn’t take the news well at all. That’s him at the door. He’s coming over to meet everyone. We invited Sophia earlier so Derrick could tell her in private, and she freaked. Like really freaked. She said some pretty harsh things. To me.”Karla’s eyes widened. “Really?”Sandra nodded. “Derrick was pissed. Extremely pissed. He basically threatened to fire her if she didn’t apologize and he told her if she ever came at me like that again he’d fire her on the spot.”“Wow,” Karla breathed. “Not that I don’t agree with him protecting you, but wow.”“Yeah. My thoughts exactly.”Karla grabbed the tray as Sophia reentered the kitchen, as though she’d come over to help.“Grab the wine, Sophia,” Karla said cheerfully. “We’ll go serve up Sandra’s yum-yums to the menfolk.”Her pretend obliv
She smiled and then shooed him toward the kitchen.“If y’all don’t get the meat on, we’ll never eat. We’re hungry!”Laughing, Derrick headed in James’s direction, Ken following behind. After a moment the three men disappeared into the kitchen, and Sandra heard the door to the patio open and then shut as they went out to tend the grill.Noticing Sophia’s and Karla’s wineglasses were nearly empty, she went to fetch a bottle and refilled theirs as well as hers.She motioned for them to sit and get comfortable, knowing they had half an hour before the steaks were ready.It was just like old times, only Clement wasn’t there. He was the only missing component, and now there was James, filling that void. It would never be the same, and for the first time Sandra felt optimistic about that fact. No, nothing would ever be the same, but it was certainly possible that it would be better.AS if knowing how trying the evening had been for Sandra and how emotionally fragile she was, Derrick made lov
Supposedly women were the moody, emotional creatures. According to men. But men were far more guilty of being volatile. Up and down. One minute he was sweet, tender and absolutely adoring. The next? Silent and brooding over God only knew what.Maybe he just wasn’t a morning person. Admittedly, until recently, she had zero experience with him in the mornings. She’d never had cause to see him or interact with him in the early hours of the day. Her exposure to him had been limited to afternoons and evenings, and he’d been nothing but charming on those occasions.Oh well, she’d have to have enough morning cheer for both of them apparently. She’s always been an early riser and what she considered a morning person. Clement had teased her about being disgustingly cheerful the moment she rose from bed.Thoughts of Clement brought back the disturbing dreams from the night before. Her lips turned down into an unhappy frown. What did they mean? Dreams were inexplicable, a manifestation of the su
He was a quick study and soon she didn’t have to direct him. He learned her body, absorbing the knowledge of what made her crazy with want.He placed an openmouthed kiss to her pussy entrance and then thrust his tongue as deep as he could get into her liquid warmth.He wanted her to cum in his mouth, an instant hot rush of release. He maneuvered his fingers, two of them below his mouth, and plunged them inside, caressing the silken walls of her vagina.He probed gently, seeking the spot where the texture was more plush and different, slightly rougher. He pressed upward, eliciting an instant cry from her. She grew wetter and panted, the sounds an aphrodisiac to his ears.His cock was flat against his belly, so hard and pulsing that he was nearly out of his mind with the need to claim her. But he’d deny himself that ultimate satisfaction. For her. This was all about her. Only for her. His silent apology for being a bastard and taking out his black mood on her.He didn’t like feeling jea
“You will never shame me,” he said gruffly. “There is nothing you could ever do that would bring me shame. It’s not possible.”She smiled back at him, her eyes warm and full of . . . love? Dare he hope for that so soon? He pulled back from that thought, not wanting to set himself up for disappointment, no matter that he’d just told her he could never be disappointed in her. That was the one thing that could shatter him. Her not returning or being able to return his love.“What time would you like to go? And what shall I wear?” she asked.There was excitement and anticipation in her eyes. She was looking forward to their excursion. Already his mind was alive with the possibilities. He would be very exacting in his plans for her. He wanted this to be perfect.“Something sexy,” he murmured. “A short cocktail dress that shows off your gorgeous legs. And heels. Definitely heels. I want to fuck you in them in front of everyone.”Her eyes went cloudy with answering lust. She shivered delicat
She thought Derrick cared for her very deeply. Perhaps he had for a long time, judging by his past comments. But he hadn’t told her he loved her. Perhaps he was merely waiting for her to say it first. He’d already risked so much, and she could understand why he wouldn’t want to put himself out there before knowing exactly where she stood.If he could do so much for her and be so patient while she got her head together, the least she could do was take the first step and put everything on the line.But what if he didn’t believe her? What if it was too soon and too fast? Would he think she was so caught up in the moment that her emotions ruled all else?Her brow furrowed in concentration. Karla and Sophia both looked curiously at her but neither spoke, though question was obvious in their eyes.“I’ll tell him when we aren’t making love,” Sandra declared and then promptly blushed to the roots of her hair as she realized how far her outburst had carried.Karla and Sophia laughed and then S
“Honestly? Because I’d forgotten about it. So many other things happened over the years. It came back to me when you said you were helping out with Luke’s kid. So no, you’re not a doormat, Jessie. No matter what Luke led you to believe.”She killed her beer. “Luke and I were headed for a divorce anyway.”“I know.”“I loved him. I’da done anything, let him get away with anything, been anyone he wanted me to be, just to keep him.”“I know that too, sweetie.”She held her fingers to her eyes to stem the tears. “God, Mom. I’ve had time to think, a lot, too much time probably, but one of the hardest parts of losing Luke was figuring out I’d lost myself too. I let him define me. And when he wasn’t around to tell me who to be, I didn’t know who the hell I was.”Silence fell and Jessie welcomed it.Her mother cleared her throat. “And what about Brandt McKay? Are you letting him define you?”Jessie shook her head. “Which might seem at odds with agreeing to help him take care of Landon. I’m not
“If I was there I’d be kissin’ your neck, leaving love bruises from that spot below your ear to your collarbone. I’d feel those cunt muscles pulling my fingers in deeper with every stroke as I moved my thumb faster over your clit. Then I’d whisper, ‘My sweet, sexy Jessie, come for me now’ and you’d explode.”“God, Brandt,” was all she got out before the spasms hit. She gasped as her clit pulsed beneath her thumb. Her fingers were wedged deep in her pussy, squeezed by the contractions so strong they robbed her of breath. The orgasm didn’t last long, but it was intense enough she dropped the phone.When she heard, “Jessie?” coming from far away, she turned, expecting to feel Brandt’s warm body, because she always zoned out after she climaxed. She heard, “Jessie!” again and opened her eyes. Brandt wasn’t there. She was in a single bed with her hand between her legs and her cell phone on the mattress next to her head.“Hello? Jess? Did you hang up?”She grabbed the phone and pushed hersel
“Stay like this.” He slid her hands to the edge of the countertop, slipping his knee between her legs in a signal to widen her stance. “Perfect.”“Brandt—”“Trust me, Jess?”It took about ten seconds, but she nodded.“Good. Close your eyes. Relax.”She let her eyes drift shut, but she was in no way relaxed. His body shifted as he reached for something on the counter. Then his wonderfully rough hand glided down her bare stomach, stopping to cover her mound. His fingers stroked her cleft, teasing her folds until she felt herself growing wet, heavy with need.His fingers vanished. Before she could protest, a cool, round object connected with her clit and she gasped, “What is that?”“No fair peeking. Keep your eyes closed.” Brandt steadily dragged it up and down her slit in a smooth glide that followed the contour of her sex from top to bottom. He whispered, “Does it feel good?”“Yes.”His lips feathered hot, moist kisses across her neck. He circled her clit, never too hard, or too soft,
She pointed on the page to a cow hiding in the bushes. “Remember what a cow says? Mmmoooo.” She drew out the word until it was about ten seconds long.Landon giggled.“Now Landon—” she poked his chest when she said his name, “—say mmmoooo.”“Mmmoooo.”Jessie clapped again. “Good job! You are gonna know all your barnyard noises in no time flat.”Usually Landon lost interest before they reached the end of a book, but tonight he stuck it out, although he was pretty squirmy at the end. When she closed the cover, Landon launched himself off the couch and ran straight to Brandt.How long had he been lurking in the shadows? And why was she thinking it was a damn crying shame that he’d gotten dressed?“Up!” Landon demanded.But Brandt wasn’t looking at Landon. He was looking at her with the softest expression. He broke eye contact when Landon bumped into his leg with another demanding, “Up!” and lifted the boy. “So I missed story time? Bummer.”Landon said, “Mmmoooo.”Brandt grinned. “That’ll
“Just Spanish rice, nothing fancy.”He looked around the living room. “Landon asleep?”“Yeah. I know it’s probably crazy to put him down this late, but he was really crabby.”“Sorry I wasn’t here to help. I ended up stopping at Ben’s place on the way home and we had a couple of beers.”Jessie smiled, appreciating he’d told her his whereabouts. “No need to explain, but I’m glad you did.”Brandt crossed into the kitchen, lowering his mouth to hers for a blistering kiss. He tasted of beer and need.This sweet, hot man could wind her up in no time flat. She returned his kiss with equal fervor, loving his deep groan as she pressed her body to his and twined her arms around his neck. She felt him harden against her belly. Then Brandt clamped his hands on her butt, hoisting her up so her legs circled his hips.He walked to the bedroom, breaking the liplock as he set her on the bed. “Damn, woman, kissing you almost makes me forget I have a splitting headache.”His face was pale. And his eyes
Brandt laughed. Ben always got straight to the point, which was probably why he’d shown up here.He took a long pull off his beer. “To be honest, I ain’t exactly sure why I’m here. I just got done talkin’ to Samantha, Landon’s mom, and she left me with a feeling I can’t shake.”“Like what?”“Like…maybe she’s gotten used to bein’ away from Landon and would like to continue that when they let her out of jail.”Ben whistled. “No shit?”“That’s the thing. Samantha didn’t come right out and say it, I don’t even know if she was hinting around or if I somehow misread it. And it ain’t like I can talk to anybody in my family about it.”“What about Jessie?”“Her stipulation was no information on Samantha for the duration of this temporary situation. So if it turns out to be a longer temporary situation than four months, and if Samantha decides she’d rather let us raise Landon…” He sighed. “Us, meaning me raising Landon with some help from Dalton, Tell and my mom.” When Ben lifted a questioning
“Sounds like I have abandonment issues, huh? My ‘real’ dad bailed on me. Billy bailed on me. But with Luke…he mentally checked out of our relationship before he physically left. So I’ll argue it was different with him. He abandoned me before he died.”“Not every man is like that.”“All of them in my experience have been. So that’s all I know.”Another line of logic Brandt couldn’t dispute.“Jess—”Jessie held up her hand. “Please. No more. I have a splitting headache and the glare off the snow is making it worse. I need to close my eyes for a bit.”Brandt didn’t look too happy, but he said, “All right.”And she must’ve been more drained than she’d thought because she slept all the way to Brandt’s house.*****Brandt waited in the visitation room of the women’s correctional facility in Lusk, wondering if he looked calmer than he felt. It seemed a bad sign, Samantha requesting this meeting, especially when she’d indicated that she didn’t want him to bring Landon.The door opened and Sam
“Billy.”He gave her an awkward hug. “Glad you could make it.” He glanced over at Brandt. “Luke. Good to see you.”Both she and Brandt froze.Billy wasn’t aware he’d made a misstep.“Luke died about two years ago, remember? This is Luke’s brother, Brandt McKay. Brandt, this is Billy Reynolds.”They shook hands.“Sorry about that,” Billy said. “Sometimes I think I’ve landed on my head too many times and my memory is goin’.”Or you don’t give a shit about what’s going on in my life.Acting like a ten-year-old much, Jessie?Brandt placed his palm in the small of her back. “Got time to have a Coke or something before you ride, Billy?”“Sure.” They walked to the concession area in silence.Well, besides Billy stopping every fifteen feet to chat with someone he knew. Not once in those dozen or so times did Billy bother to introduce Jessie to his friends. So by the time they actually sat down, Jessie was wound so tight that one more snip to her tightly held control and she’d unravel.Brandt’
Evidently Brandt had no response for that.“So you goin’ to Gillette?”“Yes. How freakin’ pathetic is that?”“Not pathetic. Just hopeful things might change between you and your father, and darlin’, that’s a feeling I’ve been familiar with my whole life.” Brandt kissed the top of her head. “I can’t fault you for that hope, but I’m worried how it’ll affect you if this trip ends up bein’ another dose of the same old, same old.So, if you’re goin’, I’m goin’ with you.”Jessie cranked her head around to look at him. “Really? You’d give up your one free weekend day to drive to Gillette and sit in an arena that smells like the barn?”“I’m not givin’ up anything. I’ll be with you. That’s all that matters to me.” Brandt kissed her again, soundly.Any mention of his feelings for her made her wary, but Brandt did it every chance he had. That’s just the way he was.Hands roamed, breathing became hot and heavy as the kiss heated. But she didn’t break the connection, Brandt did. He muttered, “We’d