Harm's Hunger (12 page)

Harm was still standing where she left him when she came back out with a small bucket in her hand. Taking an apple from the bucket, she pushed herself to keep going, despite Harm’s quiet presence, and moved to the fence where all four horses had trotted into position, waiting for her to give them their treat.

She’d fed three of the horses their apples, when Harm’s deep voice sounded directly behind her. 

“What about me, Jena?”

She paused, then lifted the apple to the last horse. “You?”

As the horse gobbled the apple up, Harm stepped so close she could feel his warmth spreading across her back. “Yeah, me. Are you going to leave me behind too? A month is a long time to deny myself the one woman who showed me that happy-ever-afters absofuckinglutely exist if I’d just trusted my damned heart from the start.”

She jumped when his warm hands settled on her shoulders. “I’ve been a fool, Jena. I’m sorry I’ve been such a horse’s ass, but you knocked the wind right the hell out of me. I would’ve come by sooner to talk, but one of my horses needed the vet’s attention.

“Dancing with you the other night made me realize that the only way I’ll ever feel settled again is if you say ‘yes’ to everything that happened between us that night.” His fingers flexed slightly on her shoulders as he continued, “I need to hear you tell me that it was as real as it felt, because nothing has torn me up more than walking around thinking that the electric connection we shared was all in my head.”

“It was real, Harm.”

Jena’s heart thumped hard and she blinked back tears as Harm bent close and whispered in her ear, “I’ve never felt as at peace as I did that night with you. I didn’t know that’s what true happiness felt like.”

She pressed her face against his scruff, enjoying the feel of it against her skin. God, she missed that so much, along with his sexy, masculine smell. “If you realized all this, why did you get mad at me the other night at the dance?”

He kissed her temple and slid his arms around her waist, pulling her against his hard frame. “Because I was worried about you…and because I sure as hell didn’t want to watch you dance in another man’s arms. You were meant for me, Jena. Only me.”

 She let out a bubbly laugh. “Well, you wasted a good twenty minutes more of dancing because you were being so surly.”

“You needed to eat,” he said gruffly, then pressed his lips to her neck, murmuring. “Stubborn woman.” Cinching his arms tighter around her, he said, “I’ve fallen in love with you, Jena Hudson. I want that night we shared to be reality for the rest of our lives, and I really hope you want that too.”

Jena stilled. Was he asking her to marry him? Or was this as close as Harm could get to a commitment?

Before she could speak, he said, “Say yes. That’s the only answer.” Rubbing his nose along her jaw, his voice turned husky. “Do you know you have the sexiest voice? It makes me rock hard in record time.”

As he pressed his erection against her backside, Jena couldn’t help the smile that spread across her face. “And here I thought other parts of my body did that to you.”

Harm expelled a low laugh, then slid his hands along her waist and upward until he cupped her breasts. “There are definitely parts of you I want to explore in excruciating detail, if for no other reason than to discover all the sounds you’ll make when you’re turned on.”

To prove his point, he brushed his thumbs across her nipples through the linen material of her dress until the nubs pebbled. Jena squirmed against him and sighed in pleasure. She’d waited a long time to feel his hands touching her once more. The excited contentment she felt as he slid the straps of her dress down and exposed her breasts to the open air went way beyond craving a physical connection. It was about making a commitment. In her heart, she was already his.

When he rolled her sensitized nipples between his fingers and she moaned, arching back against him, Harm nipped at her ear, then nuzzled her neck. “Remember what I said about the next time we made love? And make no mistake, this
will
be making love, Jena—” His hands slid down her thighs. “I want to feel your hot, sweet skin sliding against every part of me. When I ease inside you, I don’t want anything between us.”

She gulped back the flood of emotions raging through her. “Yes, I remember. I’m on the pill, so no condoms are necessary.”

Her heart raced and the knots in her stomach unfurled, replaced with stomach-clenching anticipation as she felt him unbuttoning his pants behind her. Liquid heat pooled between her legs when he lifted her skirt.

“You have the sweetest ass,” he said in a rough, you’re-all-mine rumble at the same time he palmed her bare skin. “This g-string is a definite turn on.”

When he traced his finger down the strap between her cheeks, she gasped and said breathlessly, “I’m glad you approve.”

At the same time he planted a kiss on her shoulder, he tugged on the edge of her underwear. “Thongs will be a requirement for the next fifty years or so. But for now,” he pulled her panties down past her hips, “I don’t want anything in my way.”

As Jena stepped out of her underwear, the fierceness of his tone and permanency in his words struck a cord; she didn’t need a piece of paper. She placed her hand over his on her breast, stilling his movements. “Are you sure this is what you want, Harm?” She couldn’t handle it if he walked away from her again. It would tear her to pieces.

“I’ve never been more certain.” He clasped his hand more firmly on her breast as he eased himself inside her. Filling her completely, possessively, he let out a groan. “I want a wife,” he said, his voice rough with sincerity. “I want the two or three or a passel of kids. You made me want it all, Jena, but only with you.” He withdrew and sank back home once more, causing her breath to hitch as the meaning of his words sank in. Jena grasped the fence to keep herself upright as joy ricocheted through her. This wasn’t a dream; he was actually asking her to marry him.

Placing his warm hands on hers, Harm locked their fingers together and draped his body over her back, his words like velvet sliding over her. “You never did officially answer the question, so I’ll be as clear as possible. Will you marry me, Jena? You have the power to make this fantasy a reality. And just in case you’re hesitating at all, remember those three chances? I’ll be happy to make the decision for you. As your prospective husband-to-be, I definitely think I know what’s best for you.”

His words warmed her heart. She let the tears she’d been holding back fall. “Yes, Harm. You’ve given me a reason to stay right where I am.”

“Thank God.” He expelled a breath.

She gave a watery laugh at his obvious relief.

“And by the way…” He dipped his head and lightly grazed his teeth along her neck. “Don’t expect me to ever wear a condom again. I don’t care how many kids we have. This feels too damn good to ever go back.”

Jena shamelessly pushed against him. “Then finish what you started, cowboy.”

“Happy to oblige, ma’am.” He chuckled and slid his hands to her hips. Grasping her with loving strength, he withdrew, then plunged in, deep and hard.

Each time he joined with her felt more deeply emotional than the last; like they were connecting on a higher level. The tender way he held her, his body surrounding hers with warmth and support; it felt as if he was making love to her for the first time. In a way, he was, because this time their hearts and minds were in perfect sync.

The mere thought made Jena’s heart skip several beats. She arched her back and contracted her muscles, smiling when his groan sounded both pained and pleased by her actions. But when he slid his hand down her hip, across her belly, then lower until he found her swollen flesh, her smile faltered and she gasped in sheer pleasure.

“I love you more than I could imagine possible.” Rolling the sensitized bit of skin between his fingers, he continued, “Share with me, sweetheart, the first of many for the rest of our lives.”

Jena’s climax splintered through her in tingling waves, its sheer intensity making her shake all over.

As soon as she stopped gasping, Harm pulled out of her and immediately turned her around. Wrapping his hands around her waist, he lifted her up, then kissed her as he pulled her close and lowered her primed body down his erection.

“Mmmm, not one damn thing compares to this,” he said in a hoarse voice as he slid  fully inside her. Cupping her bare buttocks to protect her skin, he leaned against the fence and rolled his hips. Jena moaned, enjoying their intimate connection. Harm gave her a smile full of sin right before he withdrew and thrust back in, hard and fast. Jena gripped his shoulders tight and keened her pleasure, thrilled by his rough aggressiveness. She clasped her legs firmly around his waist and gyrated her hips, clenching her muscles around him, wanting him aching with as much need as she felt.

“Jena.” He sounded wrecked, his body tensing under her.

“You ruined me for all other men that night. I love you.” She rocked against him once more to send him over the edge, but he held on, never letting his loving gaze leave hers as he kept up his rhythmic pace. Jena called his name as she flew apart with him, her body quivering all over from the body-melting sensations.

When their breathing settled and their heart rates slowed, Harm set her on the ground and silently pulled her back against his chest, wrapping his arms tight around her. She laid her head against his shoulder and watched the horses running in the lush, green pasture. “Um, you do know you only have two chances left, right?”

Harm’s chest rumbled with laughter before he scooped her up and turned toward the house.

Jena squirmed in his arms and giggled as she tried to sound stern. “Put me down. We have work to do, Mr. Steele.”

Harm’s boots hit the porch and he glanced down at her, passionate determination in his gaze. “Yes, we do. Mrs. Steele-to-be. I suggest we start in the bedroom.”

As he carried her over the threshold, Jena smiled and whispered, “Thank you, Great Aunt Sally.”

* * *

The screen door banged shut behind Ty as he walked inside their great aunt’s house, rubbing his hands together. “I’m so glad you’re ready to sign and head back to Maryland,” he said to Jena as she stood beside Harm in the kitchen, paperwork on the table beside them.

Jena smiled, then gestured to the rest of the house. “Don’t you like what I’ve done to the place?”

Ty took a moment to glance around as he rolled up his shirt’s sleeves. Jena smiled at his custom dress shirt. Her brother probably spent more on that shirt than she did on her entire outfit.

“Yeah, it looks nice, but I don’t know why you bothered.”

She chuckled, surprised he seemed oblivious to how close Harm was standing to her. “I
bothered
, because I’m staying, Ty.”

Confusion flickered across Ty’s handsome face. “But you said you’re signing?”

She nodded. “I am, but you’re going to have to stay a little longer. Maybe a week.”

“What do you mean? It should take two seconds to close this deal.” Ty looked ready to explode as he strode up to the table, his brow puckered. “I need to get back to Maryland, Jena.”

Jena stepped forward and clasped her brother’s shoulders, kissing him on the cheek. “I need you to give me away at the wedding, silly. And of course, we’ll fly Mom here.”

As Ty’s shocked gaze darted back and forth between Harm and her, realization dawning, she saw Harm fighting his laughter. Somehow he managed to keep his expression perfectly composed as he handed Ty a check for his half of Sally’s property.

“Here’s your check, Ty.”

Taking the check, Ty gave her a stern look. “I remember how much you loved it here, so I can understand you wanting to stay for a while like we talked about, but there’s no reason to rush into marriage.”

When Harm narrowed his gaze and stiffened, Jena laughed.

“Fine, tell Mom we’re dating then, but,” she paused and caught Harm’s gaze. Loving the heated look in his eyes, she reached out and clasped his hand. “It’s going to be a short engagement.”

“One month, no longer,” Harm cut in, his matter-of-fact tone non-negotiable.

He sounded so dissatisfied, she grinned and glanced back to her brother. “Does that appease your brotherly worries?”

Ty’s only response was to fold his arms and grunt.

Harm reached over and clapped Ty on the shoulder, a big grin on his face. “You should come back to Texas and stay a while, Ty. You’ll never want to leave either.”

“Don’t see that happening.” Ty snorted as he stepped back and leaned against the kitchen counter, his stance relaxing somewhat.

Jena laughed, relieved that her brother had regained his sense of humor. “Oh, I don’t know, Ty. Never say never. Texans have a way of growing on you.”

Pulling her into his arms, Harm kissed the tip of her nose. “That we do, darlin’. That we do.”

I hope you enjoyed Harm and Jena’s story. If you found
Harm’s Hunger
an entertaining and enjoyable read, I hope you’ll take the time to leave a review and share your thoughts with others on the on-line store where you purchased it. Your review could help other readers decide to give Harm’s story a try!

* * *

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Read on for an excerpt from Bad in Boots, Book 2,
Ty’s Temptation

Bad in Boots

Ty’s Temptation

by

Patrice Michelle

Chapter One

“Is that your car?”

Ty finished paying for his soda and turned to the blond teen who’d tapped him on the shoulder. “What?”

The kid tilted his head toward the gas station parking lot. “Is that your red convertible?”