Emotionally Compromised (Emotionally Compromised Series) (19 page)

Girls & Guns

ALEX TURNER

I slither into the room, enjoying their discomfort. No secret spy gadgets necessary to know what these men were talking about. I feel guilty
for snooping, but it's brief. Snooping is what I'm best at.

I catch sight of Jeremy's smile, and it warms me from the inside out. How does he do that?

I don't care what his dad meant by what he said. Jeremy's confused smile tells me he doesn't care either. Previous argument settled, then.

As if his dad isn't standing right there,
Jeremy flashes a pearly white grin and his eyes heat. "We are talking about you, of course."

I wrinkle my nose and shake my head
. "I am boring. I am sure there are much more interesting things to talk about."

"Miss Turner
, you are anything but boring," William chimes in, maybe to cut through whatever force field that Jeremy and I created.

I like William. He is a kind, caring man with a quick wit and a warm smile. He is almost more likable than Jeremy on a first impression. Maybe it's in his experienced, commanding, deep-brown eyes. He exudes wisdom and control, but seems kind and willing to listen. He is as intimidating and successful, but obviously has less to prove than his son. Jeremy, on the other hand, like his eyes, can seem arctic and cold with his approach, but when you get him to smile
, his eyes melt into something wonderful.

I see Jeremy's smile all the time, but I think at work it's more of a rare occurrence. You don't make it to the top being
Mr. Nice-guy, I guess, especially with the weight his dad left on his shoulders. It probably helps being the CEO’s son too.

"What's your plan for today?" I ask. I don't want to hint that I heard everything that William said to his son. It's not my business
. Well, actually it kind of is.

A g
lint appears in William's eyes.
Oh, so it's hereditary, then
. "I was hoping you could convince my son to come shooting out back. That is, if you're game, Miss Turner."

My eyes light up like Christmas morning. It's no secret how much I love guns
. I could use a little release.

Jeremy's face contorts in dis
gust. "No, no, no. I don't do the gun thing. You know that, Dad, and you should know that too, Alex." He shoots me a glare, but I can sense his smile behind it. I like threatening Jeremy.

"It could be fun, Jere
," his dad goads.

Jeremy downs the rest of his
beer, and his eyes frost. "It's not fun to me. I hate the damn things. Is that what you do out here in the desert, Dad?"

"Sometimes, especially when I have willing visitors
." William has the audacity to wink at me. My eyes go wide as I stifle another giggle.

Jeremy looks shocked as he turns to look at me. "You shoot guns with my
dad?"

I don't know how to answer, but it seems that William is willing to answer for me. He shrugs and says sarcastically, "She's like the daughter I never had."

Did he just say that?

Jeremy
scoffs, rolls his eyes, and says, "Well, aren't you two peas in a pod. I am still going to pass on this endeavor. They scare the shit out of me. So, no." He pouts like a child.

I try to bite back what I want to say
, because I worry it's too serious of a topic, but it comes out anyway. I grab Jeremy's hand, and as sweet as possible say, "I could teach you how to shoot. It could be good for you. So that if you ever need to, you could, I don't know, protect yourself, if necessary." I nibble my lip, hoping it softens my words and he'll give in. I want Jeremy to be safe, even when I'm not around.

H
is whole body tenses.

"I agree, Jeremy," William cuts in.

Jeremy shakes his head, but I'm relieved to see he also seems to smile. He lifts my hand to his lips, kissing my knuckles delicately a few times, and then slides off the barstool.

I glance over at William. I can barely handle displays of affection in private
, but in public? In front of his dad? This is a completely new world to me, and I blush. William seems unfazed, and maybe even holds back a smile as I watch him watch his son. My heart flutters and I don't know why. What is happening to me?

"Nice try, you two, but before I get outright mad about the subject: I don't do guns. Never have and never will." Jeremy leans down, kisses me on my
forehead, and continues, "That's why I have you."

My breath catches in my throat. He grins, lets go of my hand, and meanders out of the room, leaving
his dad and me in the kitchen. Why do I feel speechless? Jeremy is better at this relationship thing than he thinks.

"Well, Miss Turner, seems like you and my son
are getting along."

I notice his grin, and I can't help the rush of heat to my cheeks. I wish I could control this stupid blushing thing. I try to regain my equilibrium. "I guess you could say that."

He squints, as if sizing me up.
"Keep my boy safe, and out of trouble, will you?" He laughs.

I run my hand over my knuckles, because they still tingle from Jeremy's lips. My eyebrows furrow
and confusion floods my face, recounting Williams's odd laughter. "That's exactly what I plan on doing. Sir, why are you laughing?"

He shrugs and says, "
No offense, Miss Turner, but I never thought I would say that to a woman. But I know how capable you are, and how sharp your aim is." He rewards me with a warm grin and a wink.

G
lad to know he approves.

Scars & Stories

ALEX TURNER

I sit at the end of William Hunt's expansive dinner table. The table is too grand for just the three of us. William must have extravagant dinner parties to necessitate such a table. The house is huge
, and I wonder why a single, widowed man would need so much space. Maybe when you have millions of dollars to call your own, you do it because you can.

The table is a thick mahogany, and the chairs match the table's grandeur, with maroon silk seats. I wish we were eating in the TV room or in the kitchen, because this room overwhelms and intimidates me. Eating pizza in it seems silly. I feel like I should place a napkin in my lap and consume my food with a knife and fork.

Lucky for me, two beers and some lighthearted banter are enough to level out my mood. My face feels warm from the alcohol consumption and full belly.

I've enjoyed keeping more or less quiet
as I watch father and son recount business debacles and fun vacations. It almost feels normal.

I haven't had a moment alone with Jeremy since our discussion
outside, and it's driving me a crazy. In a glass-half-full sort of way, it has at least given me the wonderful opportunity to stare at Jeremy. The version of him around his family is incredible to witness. As annoyed as he gets at the mention of his father, it's obvious he adores him.

I watch Jeremy talk of good times
, and I can't help but be distracted by the stubble on his chin, noticing it is thicker than usual, and suddenly I can't help but imagine it against my skin. My wayward thoughts become impossible to stop, like a daydream, and I become mesmerized watching the way his lips move crisply around each word. I want his sculpted lips, and I want them on me.

You are at a family function. Please get a grip.

Every time he catches me staring, even if he is in the middle of talking, I can see the corners of his mouth perk up, and my heart flutters each time.

They talk through the sunset and into the evening. It really is a pleasure to listen, but I am getting impatient, and want Jeremy to myself.

Jeremy's hand comes to my knee under the table as if he can sense my impatience, and squeezes. I peek up at him as nonchalantly as possible.

He continues speaking,
unfazed as he thrums his fingers on my inner thigh.
How unfair of him.
I smile, glancing at him, and catch him masking a wry smile.
The rascal
. William has noticed nothing as they babble back and forth.
This is not the time for this, Jeremy.

I place my hand over his
. He wriggles past me and squeezes tightly, making my lower abdomen clench in response. Then he slides up farther.

I snatch his hand away, afraid that I might start panting. Jeremy chuckles, but he tries to cover it up with a cough.
He's kidding himself.

"Well
, Dad, I think we are gonna call it a night. We are flying back tomorrow morning."

William smiles wistfully
. "I'm glad you came out, son, even if your original plan was to rip your old man a new one."

I join Jeremy in a few laughs, and we stand. Jeremy gives his
dad a hug. "You never know, I might come back and do just that, depending on how it goes."

William shakes his head
. "Goodnight, kids. Your stuff should be in the guest room down the hall."

William comes up to me and hugs me. My body tenses as his arms come around me, but my manners switch on in time to reciprocate. I literally cannot remember the last time I hugged anyone. It's a foreign sense of, what? Family? Another social situation that I find hard to define.

Clever William does not let me go until my shoulders relax, and he pulls away with a knowing smile. What is up with these Hunt men?
I give him a warm smile in return.

Jeremy takes my hand and
pulls me toward our room. A sense of warmth radiates from my chest from William's hug. I can't wrap my head around it. It reminds me of a time in my life that I have forgotten, and can barely recall. When I feel ready, I will dissect these misplaced memories and rare emotions. Right now, my eyes are locked on Jeremy as I follow him. His eyes are a clear, calm crystal blue. It makes me happy that he seems happy.

We
walk down the hall until he tugs me through a door on the left. We still haven't said a word to each other. I have no time to take in my surroundings, because as soon as I hear the door shut behind me, Jeremy has me pinned against it, and his lips are on mine. I gasp in response as our lips clash for a moment, and we acclimate to a carnal rhythm.

Between rushed breaths
, Jeremy says, "I missed you."

I smile against his lips. "How can you miss me? I've been right here the whole time."

He pulls away, his eyes blazing. "You know what I mean." He kisses down my neck.
So he felt it too, then?

I moan and inhale, absorbing the
touch of his lips on me. I get an idea. "Jeremy, I want to show you something. It could be fun."

He halts his feverish kissing, and I can tell he is impatient for the obvious, but his eyes spark with interest.

I form a wry smile, and tug him toward another grand piece of furniture—the king size bed with an extravagant headboard. It's so much for one house.

His eyes feel hot on me, and I push him toward the bed, hard enough that he is forced to fall back and sit on the edge of the mattress. He leans back on his elbows
, watching me like a skilled predator.

I take
a step back and nibble my bottom lip. "I figured out a way to get you to trust me a little more."

His heated stare remains, but his eyebrows furrow in hesitation. "How's that?"

"You're going to like it."

"Go on
." The corner of his mouth begins a slow ascent upward. He likes this game already; I can tell.

His glacier eyes lock on mine,
and I don't tear my stare away as I begin on the button of my jeans, slipping them off gracefully. The silence and his appreciative stare are making this hotter than I'd hoped. I reach for the bottom of my shirt, and lift it over my head, nonchalantly running my hands through my black curly mane.

He swipes his tongue across his bottom lip slowly, devouring the sight of me in my black lacy underwear. I like his eyes on me. They are appreciative and possessive. I like being his. I can't even help pressing my thighs together in heated anticipation. I am trying to be patient with this, and not jump his bones.

To say that Jeremy is an attractive man would not do him justice. He is strikingly beautiful, and it's entirely unfair. I want to be hot and attractive for this man, because, to be honest, he deserves it, and I want to be what he deserves. And by deserving
,
I don't only mean because of his perfectly angular features, or his distractingly intense eyes, but because of what he is doing for me: accepting me, regardless of all the baggage, constant hurdles, and the stressful road ahead. He deserves more from me too.

Breaking the hot silence
, I say, "I am going to let you touch me—"

As if he is too excited, he cuts me off
. "I touch you all the time."

I smile
and raise my finger to wave it back and forth. "Not like this. I am going to tell you my body's story."

His eyebrows perk up at my words
, and I take it as my cue to walk up to him. I crawl onto his lap. "I am going to let you ask about my scars. I want you to know my body and me. I want both to be honest, and for you to know. I am going to try for you." I can feel his erection under me, and I grin at the physical response I elicit in Jeremy.

He flashes that pantie
-dropping grin, and I realize that he is beyond excited. "You don't have to tell me anything you aren't ready for," he says, being the gentleman. His hands come around to cradle my behind.

I kiss him chastely on the lips, and I can tell he is aching for more
. "No, I want this. I want you to know me—all of me."

Convinced that I am
OK with it, Jeremy lifts me up and places me back down on the bed. He sits up on his knees for a moment, continuously devouring me with his eyes as he slips off his shirt, and then pulls off his jeans, tossing them on the floor. He is now only in his low-hanging boxer briefs. My eyes drag down Jeremy's lean, toned stomach, over his narrow hips, and at the wonderful V that forms at his waistband. My mouth goes dry.

Jeremy always ap
preciates a fair playing field.

I smile as he lies down next to me on his side. I am anxious and wanting.
He takes my chin, tugging my lip free from my grasp, and turns my head to face him. It's forceful, but entirely hot. "Are you sure about this?"

"Yes." I want to do this for him. I want to be a type of brave that I didn't know existed.

"I can make them better." His tone is sexy, yet endearing.
How does he do that?

I look at him quizzically
. "What do you mean?"

This time he shakes his head and starts the game. He begins with the obvious starting point, placing his index finger on the deep scar on my shoulder
. "Tell me about this one."

I hold back my flinch,
but I can't help my reflexive intake of breath. My teeth clamp down on my bottom lip, and my body tenses as I try to be OK with it. I exhale my response. "Bullet wound, Dubai." All I can manage is the weapon and the location where it happened. I don't know if I can manage any more details.

Jeremy,
seemingly unfazed by my confession and content with the amount of info, leans down and kisses the old wound. He continues to pepper it with delicate kisses until my shoulders release a bit of tension. When I have relaxed to his satisfaction, he stops. I'm surprised at the remedy, and my body's reaction.

I thought maybe I would have to guide Jeremy to each location of each scar
, but he surprises me as he slides his hand over my breasts, across my abdomen, and then rubs his fingers over another deep wound over the lefts side of my ribs.

My breath catches in my throat. It's unknown territory
, which I have never explored with anyone. I should have known Jeremy would have taken note of each point of interest on my body.

"What about this one?"
Before I respond, he a perches over me, leaning his head over my torso, and begins kissing and licking at the wound. Goose bumps form at the erotic sensation, and I take a deep breath, closing my eyes, noticing that my muscles are relaxing with each stroke of his tongue.

"Knife. Romania."

He lifts up his head, peeking at me through his lashes. He smiles when he notices I am trying not to squirm. He drags his hand across my stomach to the opposite side of my body, and strums his fingers over a bruise on my hipbone.

I hum, and hold back a smile as I look down at him
. He is ready to pounce on the wound with his lips. "You're not gonna like that one. That one is from sparring with Derek." I bite back my sly smirk.

He growls his displeasure at the mention of Derek, but it's playful as he nips this time, and nibbles at the bruise
, showing his distaste. It should sting the healing wound, but instead, it sends delicious tingles up my spine. He continues to lick and bite at the bruise, and I cannot contain my moan. I claw at the sheets, wanting him to kiss me everywhere.

Another satisfied grin appears
, and he continues. This time he places kisses over my stomach, dipping his tongue in my navel, then kisses over my sex and down my thigh to another prominent bruise.

I have to scrunch my eyes closed to gain control of my aroused body. He licks, kisses
, and nips at my inner thigh. I speak, but feel out of breath. "Not so impressive. I walked into your kitchen table when you weren't looking."

He lets out a laugh, and the rush of warm breath against that sensitive area of my skin makes my body feel
as if it were on fire.

At the sound of another
moan, Jeremy begins his sweet, slow ascent up my body as he kisses his path over my stomach, spending more time on my breasts, and then finally reaching my lips. I notice my body is more relaxed than its ever been. Who knew Jeremy's lips were a cure for my personal cancer?

My hand comes up to
twist in Jeremy's hair, anchoring his lips to mine. "I need you."

Jeremy hums his pleasure. "And I need you. I love when you finally let yourself be vulnerable around me. I can't get enough of it
." He kisses me hard and his breathing accelerates. "You. Are. So. Beautiful."

I smile but groan. I just don't think it's true.

He pulls away to look at me, and my eyebrows furrow.

He slides his hand over my breasts, up my neck, and to my face to rub at the
V that has formed between my brows. "You're beautiful and you know it."