Jesse lived like this?Her head throbbed. People she didn’t know were grabbing her to congratulate her on her engagement. The engagement that had completely blindsided her mere hours ago and she hadn’t agreed to. Hurting Jesse’s feelings wasn’t something she wanted to do, but there was no way in hell she could live this sort of life.The door to the suite opened, and Jesse sauntered in, bright, perfectly symmetrical smile in place. The little crowd cheered. Ryan paused in banging his blonde to wave. At Jesse’s back, Call scowled and took in the scene, grousing something in Jesse’s ear.It caused Jesse’s smile to turn to thunder, and he whirled, fists clenched. Hmm, whatever Call said, Jesse didn’t like it.The pair exchanged words. Ugly words, Kimber guessed from their body language. Then Jesse stormed off. And stomped in her direction.“Hey, babe.” He forced a new smile and grabbed her, hauling her off the sofa and into his arms. “Let’s step outside and get away from all this.” More
Oh, God. Shock washed over her. Icy. Sickening. She had to leave. Now.Before she could turn and get the hell out, Jesse caught sight of her, pulled free of the blonde’s ass, and shoved the bottle aside with a creative string of curses.Kimber didn’t wait to see if he was going to dress first orchase her down the hall wearing nothing but a condom.She made it to the hall before he came at her, white bath towel around his waist, and pushed her back into her empty bedroom.“Shit, babe. Oh, hell. I—”“Don’t say anything.” She closed her eyes, but still kept seeing the scene in her mind.“I’m sorry. This doesn’t mean anything. She doesn’t mean anything!” Kimber flashed ahead to her future. If she actually married Jesse, she had a feeling she’d be hearing those words a lot. And he’d actually mean them…in his way. But she couldn’t change a man who, deep down, didn’t want to give up his wild-child ways.He’d see that when he was ready, and she could only hope that he wouldn’t hate her in the
On TV, Call cleared his throat. “Jesse McCall’s private life is private. Right now, we’re focused on the upcoming album and his current tour—”“Did Ms. Edgington leave him? Did she end the engagement?”“No comment. We’re adding a second show in Atlanta. Tickets will go on sale this Saturday. These are the kinds of things fans should be focused on.”“Jesse indicated a wedding this fall. Will that still happen?”“Nothing has been decided yet except that the new album will be out then and he’ll be in full support of it,” Call snapped.Oh, he was pissed. Anything that focused media attention away from Jesse’s music and too much on his personal life would not please Cal.Then the announcer returned, asking in the most lurid voice possible what the truth was and asking viewers to stay tuned while they got to the bottom of it.Kimber sat back. How had she missed all this? Because she’d been busy making decisions and starting her plans, not watching TV for the last two days.She shook her hea
“I don’t know. I think Hunter is out of the country on some assignment. Logan…He called to ask questions about my engagement a few days ago, but never said where he was.”Arms tensing, Deke’s grip around her tightened. “Have you called Logan since the explosion?”No. She’d thought about it. But her father’s life had depended on every tick of the clock. Then once she’d gotten him to safety, the fire department arrived. Then the police. Questions— lots of them—as they stabilized her dad for the ambulance ride.She’d gone along, holding his hand, hoping he knew that, even though they weren’t geographically close, he was still her parent, her only parent, and she loved him dearly. Then at the hospital, forms and questions, then the waiting began, tense moments of brittle fear splintering her composure…“Kitten?” Deke prompted.“I don’t know where my phone is. Destroyed, I guess. I don’t know…”“Okay. I’ll call Logan. Just relax for me.” He kissed her forehead, then stood and set her in L
He mustered up a smile as she neared, then kissed her cheek. “Hiya, doll.”“Good to see you. Jack told me you have someone to protect? A friend.” Kimber was way more than that. Racing across a hundred miles of Texas, wondering if she was dead or alive, had slammed that fact into him like a fastball to the stomach.For Morgan’s benefit, he shrugged. “Something like that. Jack here?”“Inside turning on the generators and security equipment.” She laid a comforting hand on his arm. “You know Jack’s cabin is one of the safest possible places, right?” Deke agreed with a slight nod. “Yeah. No one in their right mind travels this deep into the swamp unless they know their way around.”“Or the gators swallow them up,” Morgan agreed, easing her arms around his neck and giving him her sweet brand of comfort in a gentle squeeze. “It’ll be fine.” Damn it, he hoped so. Deke didn’t want to think about the alternative, didn’t want to relive the pure cold-sweat terror of wondering if some sick bastard
“But I can’t get him to make love to me.” More tears came, and Kimber shook her head. Damn, she hated this crybaby stuff. It wasn’t her style. But she’d never had such an emotional week. “I laid under the man, nearly naked, and offered, no begged him to make love to me. And he didn’t. His will is stronger than his desire.”Luc dropped another soft, soothing kiss on her mouth. “Not true. He’s just…hung up.”“Yeah, on my virginity!” She sighed and wiped hot tears off her cheeks.“Maybe…if he knew I didn’t have it anymore— Maybe if you took it…” He groaned. “Oh, you’re killing me, sweetheart. Killing me.” As if to prove his point, Luc rolled her to her back and nudged his hard cock against her. “I would love to be your first and be honored… You don’t know how much. But I think Deke needs this.”Kimber opened her mouth to question Luc, but he placed a finger over her lips to silence her. “Again, his story to tell.”“Then we’re doomed,” she snapped. “Because that man is not going to give i
It was impossible to miss the little wet spot on the robe right where Luc’s finger had been. That little dot of moisture told him how completely wet Kimber had to be. The sight nearly brought him to his knees.“Should I?” Luc’s hands tightened a bit more on the belt of Kimber’s robe.Deke knew he was going to hell for this. “Yes.”With a glittering smile of triumph and an erotic sweep of his hands, Luc brushed the fabric away from her body to hang on either side of his thighs. And Kimber was totally, stunningly naked.Deke was barely able to do more than gape and feel the impact of her nude beauty all through his tight-strung body before Luc wrapped his hands around her thighs and gently pulled, spreading her legs wide. Kimber drew in another ragged breath as Deke took in the view of her pussy.Juicy, swollen, ripe. Perfect.She looked every inch a wanton goddess as Luc skimmed a fingertip up the inside of her leg and paused to rub the soft, musky skin where her thigh and torso joined
Yes, yes, yes, and yes.“The hell you will,” Deke snarled. Then he lifted Kimber from the table, up against his body. Her legs automatically wrapped around his waist as his mouth crashed down on hers, every sweep of his tongue desperate. He wanted to crawl inside her and stay as he wrapped his arms around her, supporting her with a hand under her bare ass. The sweet juice of her cunt seeped onto his wrist and through his jeans.Good damn thing she was wet. She was going to need all that lubrication.Inside the darkened bedroom, Deke shifted aside the mosquito netting and laid her across the antique tester. She looked perfect here. Beautiful and gleaming, like the bed itself, with lean, clean lines.“You sure, kitten?” he rasped, his voice thick in the air.Kimber nodded, writhed. “Yes. Please. Now.”“Is that you talking or arousal? Luc jacked you up—”“I wanted this, wanted you, before he laid a hand on me. Please,” she whispered, inching a slow hand between her legs to tease her clit