Harm's Hunger (7 page)

“I can’t get enough of you,” Harm murmured as he alternatively tugged at the tiny bud and laved her juices that gathered in response to his masterful manipulation.

Jena had never felt so achingly vulnerable and decadent in her life. She clutched the foldout mattress and rocked against him, raging need building inside her.

“The give and take, Jena, remember,” he murmured against her body. He worked his fingers inside her until she was wet all over, then he traced every crevice with his tongue. Harm lingered, leisurely enjoying her body’s natural response before he started the same process over. Again and again, he took her to the edge until her thighs trembled and her body quaked with need.

He was driving her insane. Only the occasional thrust of his tongue deep within her heated core or flicking against her aching nub marginally assuaged her building desire. Damn, he was skilled at oral sex. She’d never met a man who took the time to taste her—no, to
savor
her—as much as Harm did.

He slid a finger in her core once more, then planted a kiss on the curve of her rear and said in a serious tone, “Do you trust me, Jena?”

She was about out of her mind, her body screaming for release from the sinfully tortuous path he’d led her down. “Yes,” she managed to say between pants. In her heart, she knew she did. Her pulse raced as she waited for Harm’s response.

Harm pushed her thighs further apart and slipped something— What was that? A half piece of ice?—inside her. “Oh, God!” she cried out and rose up on her hands and knees as her entire core suddenly went from raging hot to freezing cold.

Cupping his hand over her entrance, Harm held her body closed while he slid his fingers back and forth against her clit, revving her higher. With one hand continuing to work against her sex, he laid his chest over her back and used his other hand to tweak her nipple. When his lips landed on her shoulder in a tender kiss, it was all she could do not to whimper.

“Let go, Jena. Let your sweet tasting body melt the ice the way you melt me.”

Chill bumps rose on her skin, but the cold no longer existed. Only the hot, husky need in his voice and the pent-up tension remained. Jena moved with the motion of his hand, seeking fulfillment. She finally let out the whimper she’d been holding back and rocked, seeking to assuage the yearning need raging within her. But it wasn’t until Harm pulled back and swiped his tongue in a long, reverent lick against her that she felt the first tremors of her orgasm take over. She moaned and tightened her body, preparing.

Before she shattered to pieces, Harm immediately sat on the bed and pulled her back against his chest. He let out a strained growl as he lowered her hips over his thighs and slid his cock inside her. Back to chest, soft thighs surrounding his rock hard ones, Jena gasped in sheer delight. Her muscles flexed as she lifted herself up and down, enjoying the hard fullness, taking her…possessing her, making her all his.

Harm slid his fingers between her legs and rasped as his breathing turned labored, “The next time we make love, I’m not wearing a damn condom.”

Jena sobbed as her body shuddered with the most powerful orgasm she’d ever experienced. He had ruined her for all men, for she knew without a doubt she was hopelessly addicted to this man’s unquenchable hunger.

Harm awoke the next morning feeling stiff all over yet mentally rested. His head throbbed, but it didn’t compare to the jerking of his heart when he saw Jena wasn’t in bed. Her clothes were gone from the chairs as well. As he quickly dressed in his jeans, the phone rang. He dove for it, jamming his toe on the kitchen table in the process.

“Hello!” he growled as pain radiated throughout his foot.

“Harm?”

“Yeah?” He racked his brain, but the male voice on the other end of the line didn’t sound familiar.

“It’s Ty. I’ve been trying to reach you all night. Man, that was a hell of a storm last night. I’m assuming you and Jena stayed at Sally’s place to ride it out. Did she make up her mind to sign the papers yet?”

Hell of a storm.

Sally’s place

Sign the papers
.

The phrases triggered Harm’s memories. Like a drawbridge slowly being opened, the chain’s links unwound from the wheel and they all came flooding back.

Jena in the elevator, then in her hotel room.

Jena’s smile when he asked her to dinner.

Jena looking gorgeous and surprised when he walked into her brother’s hotel room.

Jena refusing to sign her half of the ranch over to him.

Jena challenging him, making him think more than he wanted to during the trip to Sally’s place.

The storm.

The wreck.

“Harm? You there? Did Jena sign?”

“Not yet. She’ll give you a call back later.”

Harm hung up before Ty could respond and took several deep breaths. He felt like he’d been kicked in the chest and racked in the balls for good measure.

Jena sighed heavily and leaned over the fence to pat the horse’s nose as the sun finally crested the sky. “Good morning, girl. Guess I’ve delayed long enough. Time to wake up Harm and tell him the truth.”

Even though Harm had gotten up earlier to take care of the horses, he’d come back to bed and pulled her close before falling asleep once more. The simple act meant he hadn’t regained his memory. As much as she craved the closeness, she’d been unable to fall back to sleep. The thought of waking up to the sun rising with Harm holding her so intimately made her heart ache. Last night had been amazing, but with the blush of the new day coming, her stomach knotted. She didn’t want to tell Harm, didn’t want to see his smile turn into a scowl or his eyes darken with anger.

Patting the horse once more, she made her way back to the house. As she walked in, she was surprised to see the sofa already put back together and Harm leaning against the kitchen table, his boots crossed. “Oh, hi. I didn’t expect you to be up yet.”

“When were you planning on telling me?” he said, his tone cold, hard.

Her stomach bottomed out. “When did your memory come back?” she asked in a quiet tone.

He jerked his head toward the phone. “When your brother called to check on us. When, Jena?” he snapped.

She stilled herself to keep from jumping at his fierce tone as she closed the door. “I was coming in to tell you just now.”

He crossed his arms, his face turning to stone. “Go on, I can’t wait to hear your explanation for why you lied? Why you gave us a past and planned our whole future?”

She gasped and shook her head, trying not to let his harshness hurt so much. “I never claimed a future together, Harm.”

His dark eyes narrowed. “But you sure as hell put yourself firmly in my
present
.” Slicing his hand toward the sofa, he bit out, “Every fucking thing that happened last night was made up bullshit! Why, Jena?”

“I’m sorry, Harm. I was in a panic when you got knocked out and couldn’t remember. All I wanted was to—”

“You know what…save your lies for the next idiot,” he sneered, then turned and grabbed his hat from the table. Pulling the house key from his pocket, he set it on the table as he jammed the Stetson onto his head. His boot heels pounded the wood floor as he strolled past her as if they’ve never met and walked out the door.

She started to go after him, to try to fully apologize, when the phone started ringing.

Heaving a sigh, Jena answered, “Hello?”

“What the hell is going on, Jena? I just got off the phone with Harm not long ago. Why haven’t you agreed to sign the papers?”

She peered through the kitchen window and watched Harm stalk along the drive, his stride steady and determined. “I’m not selling, Ty.”

“What? This is ridiculous. When are you going to grow up? You can’t just keep flitting through life, doing things at your whim. Other people are involved—”

“I’ll sell part of my land to Harm and you can sell him your half, but I want the house and a couple acres around it. That should be fair to everyone.”

A heavy sigh gusts in her ear. “I’d rather not parcel the land up like that. Harm was pretty clear that he wants all of it. Listen, I need to get back to Maryland for meetings on Monday. You said you were going to take a vacation soon. Why don’t you stay put and spend some time here before you make such a big decision like moving here permanently. I suspect that by time I’m able to fly back in a few weeks you’ll be ready to sell. Texas isn’t anything like Maryland, Jena.”

I know it’s not. It’s exactly what I want.
“Go on back to Maryland, Ty. Don’t worry. I’ll be fine here. I’ll see you in a few weeks.”

Once she hung up, Jena forced thoughts of Harm to the back of her mind. She had a feeling he wasn’t up to listening to any apology or explanation she offered and wouldn’t be for a while. Looking around the sparse house, she mumbled, “Guess I’d better get to the store for some supplies.”

She’d forgotten how quaint Boone’s town center was with its old-style clapboard storefronts and the warm sun shinning on their big picture windows. Jena glanced up at the huge white banner buffeting in the warm breeze over Main Street as it advertised an upcoming festival. She smiled as townsfolk waved as they passed each other on the street. Never saw that living in a big town. A few cars drove past, but for the most part people were out running errands on foot or walking their dogs, or just strolling through the park across the street from the town’s center.

A dark-haired woman in her mid-fifties reached the convenience store’s door at the same time Jena did. Pulling the door open for her, the woman smiled. “Nice morning.”

“That it is,” Jena replied, smiling back. “Thanks.”

“No problem. You new in town or just visiting?”

Jena inwardly chuckled. That’s another thing that would never happen where she lived in Maryland—total strangers asking you personal questions. Grabbing a pushcart while the woman picked up a wire basket from its rack, Jena nodded. “A bit of both actually. I’m staying in my great aunt’s place.”

“Oh?” The woman’s light brown eyes lit up. “Who’s your aunt?’”

Jena turned the cart’s wheels around. “Sally Tanner.”

The woman’s expression instantly filled with sympathy as she stepped closer and patted Jena’s arm. “I’m so sorry about her passing, dear. Sally was inspiring woman and a great neighbor.” Putting her hand out, she said, “I’m Mary O’Donnell. I live a few miles down the road from Sally’s place.”

Jena shook her hand. “Jena Hudson. It’s nice to meet you.”

Releasing Jena’s hand Mary tilted her head, her gaze full of questions. “Are you going to live at Sally’s place then? I didn’t see a For Sale sign on the Double D property, which made me wonder who got the land since she didn’t have a family of her own to leave it to.”

Jena nodded. “My brother and I inherited the land and her house. I’ll be living there now.”

“Excellent!” Mary said, rocking on her heels as if she couldn’t contain her happiness.

Jena gave a half-laugh. “
I
think so at least. My brother thinks differently. Well, I guess I’d better get the supplies I came for. It was nice meeting you, Mary.”

“Pooh on him. You’ll love it here. It’s nice meeting you too, Jena.” As Jena started to back away, Mary continued, “I’ll bring you a welcome casserole sometime soon.”

Jena paused. “You don’t have to do that.”

Mary’s smile broadened. “It’ll be my pleasure. Truly. Take care.”

Once Mary headed off, Jena took a deep breath and stared up at the aisle’s signs. “May as well start on aisle one.”

* * *

Later in the afternoon after exploring Sally’s property on horseback, Jena had just started to head down the main trail that led back to the house when an Irish Setter streaked across the worn down path, quickly followed by a blond, curly-haired boy calling out, “Quit chasing rabbits, Gimp! Dad’ll kill me if I’m late for dinner again this week.”

He’d paused for just a second and gave Jena a quick glance before dashing into the woods after his dog. Unfortunately their sudden appearance had startled the horse. As soon as he reared up, Jena let go of the reins in order to quickly grab the saddle horn to keep from falling off.

“Whoa, boy!” she called out forcefully, but he was too worked up. His hooves fell to the ground only to lift up in the air once more, this time accompanied by a panicked whinny.

While she attempted to hold onto the saddle horn with one hand and grab the flying reins with the other, two loud whistles shot through the air and her horse instantly settled.

Jena jerked her gaze to the source of the noise to see Harm sitting on a horse not twenty feet away, his expression thunderous.

Great. Has he come to yell at me some more?
Leaning over so she could compose her expression, she retrieved the reins and waited for Harm to walk his horse up to hers.

“What the hell were you thinking going off riding?”

Her spine stiffened as she looked at him. She couldn’t see his eyes; the cowboy hat shrouded them in shadows, but the terseness in his voice was enough to set her on edge. “I’m checking out the property. What are you doing here? I figured you’d had enough of me for one day.”

Brackets formed around his mouth. He was so cold and distant it’s hard to believe this was the same man she met at the hotel the day before.

“I’m here to conduct business, Jena. If you recall, that part of our negotiation never happened.”

“I’m not selling,” she said as she moved her horse around his and nudged it forward.

“The hell you aren’t,” he grated out as he pulled up beside her. “We had a deal.”

She glanced his way and tried to ignore the pain in her heart. The anger in his eyes really affected her, more than it should. But last night she’d felt so connected to him, like she’d known him for years. How could that evaporate so quickly? Was it really
all
a fantasy? Her heart squeezed at the thought. “You had a deal with my brother. Not with me. He still wants to sell and I’m willing to sell part of my half, but I want the house, the barn, and a couple of acres.”