A Place to Call Home (24 page)

“My father,” she said softly.

He sighed. His shoulders slumped and his grip on her loosened. “Shit, Hannah. I didn’t mean it that way.”

A huge knot formed in her throat but she refused to allow the tears to form. “So why not just tell me you have cakes instead of making me believe I’d mortify the poor kid?”

“Because there was no really nice way to tell you I don’t want or need you playing mommy to my kids.”

Now that was a straight hit to her heart. “Is that what you think I’m doing? Playing mommy?”

His eyes remained unreadable, no emotion. “Maybe. Just telling you I’m not going to put up with it. We’ve survived on our own this long, no reason we can’t continue this way.”

She shrugged free of him. “You know, Austin. We’re alike more than you care to admit. We’re both running from our pasts, but I’m just able to admit it unlike you who thinks he can use being abandoned by his wife as an excuse to live life in a fucking bubble.” She marched off down the driveway to the rear of the house.

“Oh, is that so?” he yelled after her.

She turned back. “Yeah, it is. I think I was an easy target for you to get into your bed. I’m not sticking around so there’ll be no commitments so it makes it easy for you to get involved, and then when I leave you can go back to your life. You knew all along I was here only temporarily. If I had actually moved into town you wouldn’t have made a pass on me. Great tits and ass or not.”

She stormed back into the house and found the family mulling about, pretending to be uninterested in her argument with Mac but their expressions revealed the truth, the curiosity, the need to know.

She grabbed dirty plates off of the dining room table and with a big smile, faced her guests, and in a calm, smooth voice said, “Anyone up for coffee?”

Without waiting for replies, Hannah strutted to the kitchen and prepared to get through the remainder of the evening. With any luck, she wouldn’t be facing a murder charge before the night ended.

Three hours later, the house empty of family at last, Mac turned to the boys and said, “Okay, guys. Bed.”

Ryan’s shoulders slumped. “Aw, Dad—”

Mac shot him a look, cutting his protests short.

Without further objections, the boys climbed the stairs.

Hannah cleaned up with Mac’s help. They worked in silence. When they finished, she left the room and returned with his pillow and flung it at him.

“You’re sleeping out here with Porkchop.” She turned to the dog. “Sorry, Porkchop, but I’ve had enough of him tonight.”

Mac threw the pillow down and followed her into the bedroom, his hand opening the door when she would have slammed it shut. “Maybe I don’t want the couch.”

She whirled on him. “Then maybe you should try sleeping in the truck.”

“Or maybe I’ll just sleep in my own damn bed.”

“The hell you will.”

He grinned and inched closer. “Think you can kick me out of my own bed, brat?”

“I just did.”

“I don’t think so.” He his shirt.

“Get out of here,” she said, pointing at the door, on the verge of stomping her foot. “I’m not sleeping with you.”

He edged closer to her. “I don’t care if you sleep. Just fuck me.” The Southern drawl in his voice had its usual effect on her libido, charging it, revving it. Damn him!

“Dream on,” she snapped. God, he wanted her now? After the words they’d crucified each other with?

Bare-chested, he inched toward her. “I always do after you fuck me.” Those bright blues bore into her, hot lust simmering on the surface.

“There’s no need to be cruel, Austin. Or lewd.”

He unbuttoned his jeans, kicked out of them and his briefs, and climbed onto the bed. He lay on top of the covers, his erection jutting out from his body, inviting her to touch him. “Want to join me? If you sleep in here, I’m going to fuck you.” He spoke while stroking his cock. “And don’t try to say you don’t want me to.”

With her hands on her hips, she stared at him, biting her lip and ignoring the tiny pulses within her pussy. Fucking him would make him happy right now just like it would her. But he didn’t deserve to be pleasured. Only one option remained.

She left.

“Fine. You take the couch,” he said.

She slammed the bedroom door. She planned to do better than that. She grabbed her purse and Mac’s truck keys and stomped outside. Squealing the tires, she laid on the horn and had the immense satisfaction of seeing his bedroom light come on when she turned out of his driveway.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

An hour later, Hannah sat in the same jail cell she had on that fateful girl’s night out. She paced back and forth in the seven by ten cage hating the male species right now. The sheriff, lucky her, had been covering for one of the deputies who called out sick.

“You know, Ms. O’Leary, I still can’t believe you’ve graduated from starting bar room brawls to stealing trucks,” Sheriff Greely said while eating a donut.

“I didn’t steal Mac’s damn truck for the hundredth time. I’ve been staying there and I needed to run to the store.” So what if she stretched the truth a little. She had every right to use Mac’s truck. She lived in his house after all.

“Mac says differently. And ain’t no stores open around here at eleven at night, ma’am.”

“How was I supposed to know that?” she huffed. “And what are we waiting for?”

“Mac to come. He needs to pick up you and his truck.” He bit off a big chunk of donut. “Said he’ll be here shortly as soon as his brother can give him a ride.”

“Well, he can pick up the truck but not me. I want to be let go right now, sheriff.”

“Sorry. Can’t do that.”

“Argh!” she screamed trying to pry the stupid metal bars apart and break out of the place.

Then Mac appeared.

“You jerk,” she yelled as soon as she saw him. “You called the sheriff on me?”

“Sure did,” he said, shooting her a withered expression. “Thanks, sheriff, for picking her up.”

“Your truck’s out back, Mac. You taking her too?”

“Do I have a choice?” He smirked.

“Of course you do,” the sheriff said. “But think wisely. She’s madder than a hen in a mud pit.”

“Oh, you people and your stupid sayings. Can you even hear yourselves talk?” She tossed her hands in the air. “You make absolutely no sense.”

Mac half laughed. “I’ll take her with me and save you a headache.”

She backed away from the bars, keeping eye contact on the sneaky devil. “I’m not going anywhere with you.”

“Oh, yes you are,” he said firmly.

The sheriff opened the cell.

With her arms crossed, she stepped back until she’d backed into the corner. “I’d rather stay in jail than go anywhere with you.”

The sheriff faced Mac. “You know, if you press charges then she’ll have to stay here until her arraignment, which will be some time next week when we can get her in front of a judge.”

Hannah’s mouth dropped. “You wouldn’t.” She stared at Mac.

“Not at all, brat. Remember, I know how to deal with your temper.”

She glared at him for that implication.

“Let her out, sheriff. She’s coming home with me.”

Once unlocked, the door swung open. Mac simply grabbed her by the hand and led her out like he had the last time. Oh God, was this déjà vu, or what? If he thought he could spank her again he was dead wrong.

But when they pulled into his driveway after a silent drive home, Hannah breathed a sigh of relief her bottom hadn’t experienced his temper this time. While she had enjoyed the last spanking, she couldn’t be so sure about now. His bad mood continued although he hadn’t complained anymore. The idea of him spanking her had turned her on when she wanted to remain mad at him. With their fiery history, she couldn’t totally dismiss receiving another paddling. She may just have to entice him into giving her one. She got out of the truck and followed him inside where he took her hand again, shut off the kitchen lights, and led her toward his bedroom. Mindful of the sleeping children, she didn’t resist or speak.

Once inside his bedroom, Mac stripped and got into bed. “I took out a T-shirt for you. It’s over there.” He motioned to the top of his bureau. He leaned back against the pillows, put his hands behind hi s head, and stared at her. “What are you waiting for? Strip.”

She took the T-shirt and went to the bathroom to change. Anger still consumed her and she refused to let him see her naked even if he had already seen every inch of her body and more. Ten minutes later, she walked quietly back into Mac’s bedroom.

“Thought you were going to make me fetch you again. Glad you didn’t.”

“I had to change.”

He raised a brow and snorted. “So now you’re shy?”

She ignored him. “We’re not having sex, Mac.”

“Back to calling me Mac, huh?”

“Be glad that’s all I’m calling you.”

He smiled. She smiled too while she folded her clothes but still wanted to remain mad. “I can’t believe you reported your truck stolen,” she said facing him.

“It was the truth. I didn’t tell you to take it.”

“You knew I’d return it.”

His bare chest taunted her to touch it, the sheets bright white against his tanned skin. “Didn’t matter. You shouldn’t have taken off.”

“Oh, is that it? Has nothing to do with your precious truck, does it?”

“Don’t know what you’re talking about but I’m tired since you’ve managed to have me pick you up at the sheriff’s office once again. Get into bed.”

“You just couldn’t stand that I left without letting you know.”

“Come to bed, Hannah.” He tugged the sheets halfway up his chest. “Believe me, I’m not interested in touching you tonight.”

“I’m not your damn ex-wife, Mac. When I leave, I’ll say goodbye.”

When he didn’t respond, she climbed into bed and turned off the light on the nightstand. The moonlight shone through the window, lighting the room. Without warning, he rolled and lay on top of her, and she was stunned by his quickness.

He pinned her underneath him. “I never said you were like her, Hannah, so don’t ever put those words in my mouth again.”

“Get off of me, Mac,” she said, pushing against his chest. “Your displays of machoness tonight are really beginning to irritate me.” How she wished she had the strength to toss him off the bed. She grit her teeth and abandoned her efforts to move his massive body. The swine!

The moonlight skirted through the window curtains, highlighting his features enough for her to recognize the wicked gleam in his eyes. “Maybe I changed my mind about sex after all.” He drawled out each word.

Oh, God, her traitorous body would do her in if she didn’t get control of her desires before he could flame them anymore with his damn sex appeal. “Then use your hand. Do you need me to remind you how?”

He smiled wide. “You are such a little brat.”

“I’ve heard that before. Try something else.”

Moonlight gleamed off his jet-black hair. “Hannah.”

He kissed her lips as gently as he ever had. She tingled from the intimacy of the touch.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “I was a total ass tonight. I never meant those hurtful words.”

“Sure sounded like you did.”

He sighed. “I didn’t. Damn it. I’ve never let a woman get as close to me as you have. Now I have all these thoughts and feelings that, well, I just can’t process.”

She wasn’t letting him off the hook that fast no matter how sweet his apology or the way his eyes searched hers for forgiveness. “So what are you trying to tell me, Mac? That you had, like, a meltdown tonight?”

“Men don’t have meltdowns.”

She snorted. “Yeah, well, tonight was close to it for you.”

“Hannah.”

“Don’t you mean brat?”

His face became serious. “And don’t you mean Austin?”

She stared into his eyes. “Austin.”

“Brat.”

“Are you ever going to tell me why you call me that?”

“Someday. Maybe. Right now I want to make love to you but if you’re not interested, and I couldn’t blame you if you weren’t, then I’ll roll off and leave you alone.”

“Then roll off of me.”

He stared at her for a long moment. And did as promised and moved back to his side of the bed. They lay on their backs quietly for a minute. She focused on the ceiling, contemplating her next move. Wetness dampened her panties after he’d laid that hard body over hers. Feeling the way his weight pressed her into the mattress had her pussy begging for his cock to fill her, deep and hard. With the slightest movement, she turned to peek at him. He lay silent like her, but there could be no mistaking the tension surrounding him in the way he rested stiff and straight instead of on his side spooning with her as he usually did.

Then she crawled on top of him, her hair cascading down to his pillow.

“I wanted to be on top, Austin.” She kissed him, long and deep.

His hands slid up her sides, taking the T-shirt with them. Soon she was bare and straddling him. His nakedness shone in the bright moonlight, each muscle fascinating. Wanting to nibble his hot body made her mouth water. God, she needed him.

Leaning down, she took his mouth and fought for control of the kiss until he flipped her onto her back and lay on top of her.

“Don’t care if you want to be on top, brat,” he said, his voice soothing, his eyes fixated on hers. “I’m going to make love to you like I want to.”

She pushed at him. “Fuck me hard and fast.”

“Not tonight,” he whispered, moving down her body. His touch was tender, soft. He planted kisses along her belly to her inner thighs.

Flashes of heat emanated from deep in her belly and spread out until she thought she’d catch on fire. She whimpered, unable to hide her ecstasy.

“You’re not playing fair, Austin.”

When his mouth claimed the sensitive spot between her legs, she cried out. Held in place by his strength, she surrendered to his delicious attention. His tongue lapped at her pussy, stroking her quivering lips, caressing her aching folds.

“Oh, Austin, don’t stop. Make me come.”

His quiet moans between her thighs only edged her desire higher.

“I can’t stand it. Feels too good. Make me come. Now.” She squirmed under his kisses. The slow rise of her orgasm began deep within the quivering walls of her womb. At first she thought her mind would be lost to the dire need to find her release. But it soon fell prey to the overwhelming attentions he offered her, and all her thoughts wiped clear while her senses worked on overdrive. Every stroke of his tongue heightened her awareness of the tension twirling within her. When he inserted a finger into her throbbing slit, her control slipped away.

“Austin! Oh, God. Please. Please.”

His finger worked magic in her wet channel, and the spasms grew larger.

Immense pleasure flowed through her body, little sparks exploding through her belly and thighs. She floated on a cloud, being lifted up closer to the heavens. She fisted the bed sheet, searching for the strength to endure his wonderful mouth and its torment. Her hips lifted toward his waiting mouth forced her body closer to his intimate exploration. With every movement of that expert tongue, with every sensuous kiss over the vulnerable folds of flesh, she quivered, trying to remember to breathe, not even able to remember her name. But she remembered the name of the man between her legs while she cried out.

“Austin! Oh, God, Austin. Don’t stop.”

“What’s in it for me, brat?” He moved away from the highly sensitive area in the center, holding her orgasm at bay, while still stroking her swollen lips.

Lifting her head, she looked down her body to where his eyes peeked over her mound, his lust-filled gaze locked on her. His mouth remained against her, his warm breath blowing to tickle her wet skin with every word.

“For you?” She panted. “What’s for you?”

She did the only thing she could. She gave in to the lust storming through her body. Scooting down the bed, she wrapped her legs around his neck, and thrust herself up to meet his mouth. Without further stalling, his tongue returned to her heated flesh, devouring her, his strong hands holding her thighs tightly. One long finger entered her hole and fucked her rapidly.