Reluctantly, JR steps away, and when our eyes meet in the yellow light of the hall, his expression worries me. It’s like a warm hello and a sad goodbye all mixed up in one.
“Ready?” He takes my hand, and a niggle of hope squirms in my chest.
Maybe things haven’t changed between us? I just wish I knew why he seems so grave.
“She left cookies.” I stop at the table just inside the kitchen of the gorgeous old home where we’re spending the night. “They’re still warm!”
The kitchen is all stained pine and red and white checked everything. It’s very farm-country, with a tin rooster in one corner and a milk churn in the other. A note on the table reads, Enjoy your stay! And a bouquet of colorful flowers is beside it.
“Regina has owned this place since I was a kid.” JR steps up beside me, lifting the note and reading it briefly.
He was quiet the whole drive over, and my body is tight with desire, worry, anticipation… and so many questions. What’s going to happen now? We were spectacularly together this morning… Is he sorry?
He’s been so focused on his son, and so distant since we got here. I mean, he should be focused on his son—they haven’t seen each other in almost two years…
But why this distance?
Ugh… I wish he’d talk to me.
Of course, when has John Roth Dunne ever been chatty? Once on the entire three-day drive?
He touches my shoulder, and I jump out of my thoughts. “Oh… Sorry, what?” I exhale a nervous laugh.
He lifts his chin towards the stairs. “We have our pick of the rooms. Which do you want?”
My heart sinks, and I blink away the disappointment heating my eyes. He doesn’t want to share a room.
“That’s not right. I’m the stowaway. You pick the one you like.”
We walk slowly towards the stairs, where the biggest calico cat ever is lying on the fourth step like a cuddly distraction just for me.
“Look at you!” I drop to my knees to pet him, and he slowly lifts a head like he’s used to strangers fawning over him. “Who is this big guy?”
JR smiles, taking a knee beside us as well. “This must be Cosmo.” A crooked grin splits his cheeks, and my heart melts. “I can’t believe he’s still alive.”
“He’s just a big ole boy.” My lips pucker out as I talk to him in my kitty-voice, scrubbing my fingers around his ears. Cosmo closes his eyes and purrs. “Yesh, you’re just a big ole cutie boy.”
I’m shaking my nose close to the cat’s when JR stands, going to the top of the stairs. He pauses on the landing, inspecting the second floor. “This looks like the master suite.”
Rising from the Cosmo love-fest, I slowly walk the rest of the way and stop beside him. “You want it?”
His shoulders drop, and he takes my hands in his. “You can have it if you want.”
As much as I hate being the only one doing the chasing in this relationship, my dad once told me if I wanted something, I had to go for it.
“We can share it.” It’s a cautious suggestion, coupled with a sweet smile.
He doesn’t answer, but his hands tighten around mine. “Hope…” He says my name on an exhale, almost like a prayer. He’s so heartbreakingly sexy.
Lifting my eyes, I meet his. “That’s my name. Don’t wear it out.” It’s meant be playful, but it comes out a little sad.
I guess I’m not as great an actress as I’d like to be.
Releasing my hands, he cups my face, lowering his forehead to mine. “I can’t drag you into this mess of mine.”
“It doesn’t look like a mess. It looks like a family.”
“You have no idea.” His thumbs move against my cheeks, and he lifts his head to meet my eyes.
I stretch higher, touching my lips to his jaw. “Either way, I’m here.”
“Hope…” It’s a rough whisper.
“Kiss me, John.”
It’s all it takes.
He lowers his mouth with a groan capturing my lips with his. Fire shoots through my veins as his tongue finds mine, curling and teasing.
Raking my fingers along his neck, I thread them in his hair, pressing my body against his.
His kiss is rough and beautiful. My core tightens, and I ache for him to satisfy my need.
He lowers to sit on the foot of the bed, putting his face at my waist. Reaching down, he slides his hands up the back of my knees, lightly up my thighs, lifting my dress.
I hiss as electricity flames higher with his touch. Reaching down, I pull the thin garment over my head, baring my body for him, all except for the makeshift undies.
His blue eyes darken, studying my breasts, my tight nipples, the air rushing in and out of my lungs.
He holds both of my wrists behind my back, not letting me move. It’s thrilling and it shifts my body closer to his face.
Tracing his nose along my bare stomach, he pauses at my underwear. “What’s this?”
“What’s what?” My eyelids lower, desire burning in my veins.
“Your panties are in my pocket.” His mouth forms a hot pucker on my hip, and he pulls the skin, touching me with his teeth.
Wetness floods my core, and I gasp. “Scout stole some of Alice’s underwear—”
His grip on my wrists tightens, and he pulls me back. When our eyes meet, his twinkle. He’s almost laughing. “You stole my granny’s panties?”
I exhale a laugh. “I didn’t have a choice.”
“They’re sexy.” His face returns to my hip, and he pulls another little bit of flesh between his teeth.
Oh, God. My chin drops back, and my eyes roll. It’s just what I want. I want him to take me, hold me down, fuck me hard.
I’m breathless. “I’ll take them off.”
“I will.” His ironclad grip on my wrists loosens, and large hands cover my hips, sliding the cut and knotted panties down my legs.
He takes his time, and I think I’m going to dissolve in front of him. When they’re at my ankles, he glances up at me and I see all the hunger burning in my stomach reflected at me.
Straightening again, he slides his nose along my lower stomach. “You are so beautiful.”
“I think I’m going to combust.”
I’m lovestruck standing in front of him, swaying to the movement of his lips across my flesh, the scruff of his new beard against my sensitive skin. I want him inside me. I want his body sliding against mine, firm and hard. I want his massive dick in my body.
“How is this possible?” He slides warm hands up the back of my thighs, cupping my ass.
“What?” I manage to inhale.
“You’re so damn sweet, so innocent… and you hypnotize me. I’m completely at your mercy.”
My hands are free now and I thread them in his soft hair. “What makes you think I’m not at yours?”
Leaning forward, he covers my bare pussy with his mouth, roughly sliding his tongue across my clit, turning my knees to liquid.
“Oh, shit…” Gripping his hair, I can barely stand. He’s holding me up, and his mouth moves faster, tongue lapping hungrily, and my legs begin to tremble. “John…”
Another kiss, another suck, and currents of orgasm race through my thighs.