Her Kind of Man (24 page)

Kent stared at his girlfriend with what he was sure was a stunned expression on his face. What a difference a few minutes made. He'd walked in on a seemingly defeated Allina and was now faced with a kick-ass, take-no-prisoners Allina. He liked it. Smirking, he asked, “Are you going to need some help with this plan? Because I'll definitely bring my fists with me.”

Kent had never wanted to knock some sense into someone more than that son of a preacher.
He better hope I don't get a hold of him
.

She laughed. “Only if I can punch him first.”

He jerked her to him and kissed her. “You're feisty,” he murmured against her cheek.

“I have too much to lose.”

“You won't lose me,” he said. “I promise.”

Gazing into his eyes, she pulled him into another kiss.

Need and desire slammed into him, but he tried to think of food or football or bleach…anything to keep himself under control. They were in the bar, in one of the offices. There was no way he was joining the do-it-at-the-Ice-Box club his friends had formed over the last year.

But her hands were moving fast, unbuttoning his shirt, tempting him to take it there: to take her against the wall or on the chair or on the floor.

“Allina?” he murmured against her relentless mouth. “We're in the bar.”

“I know,” she whispered. “I don't care. Make love to me. I need you to, now.”

And he didn't want to disappoint her. Before she could say anything else, he pushed her up against the wall, pinning her hands above her head. One hand slid down her side, over her hip and to her leg. He hoisted it up and stepped closer, pressing himself into her, thrusting against her without even taking her panties off. She was wet. So wet he felt it through his pants. But he couldn't stop. He continued to push into her, harder, more forcefully. She sucked in a deep breath and her eyes rolled into the back of her head. When her legs buckled, he picked her up and continued to move against her until she cried out. It didn't take long for her to come, and he muffled her cries with his mouth.

Once her trembling subsided, he slowly moved back from her. She drooped back against the wall and almost slid to the ground, but he held her up. “You're okay,” he whispered. “Come on.”

She stared at him in awe. “You just…with my clothes on.”

He placed a finger against her mouth. “It's okay. But we have to get out of here. Syd will kill us if she knows we, uh…” He swallowed. “Did this in her office.”

“But you…”

“I'm fine.” He buttoned his shirt and glanced at her. “Are you?”

She nodded. “I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

“And I meant what I said. He's not going to ruin this thing between us.”

That will never happen
. “Don't worry, he won't.” Kent cradled her face in his hands. “Allina, we're going to be fine. As long as we're honest with each other.”

She averted her gaze, shifting her weight from one foot to the other. Bending down, she started picking up papers and putting them back on the desk. His hand on her wrist stopped her.

“Do you want to go home?” he asked, tilting his head and trying to meet her gaze. “I'll have someone clean up in here later.”

Nodding, she grabbed her cell phone and stuffed it in her pocket. “That would be good.”

They walked in silence out to the main area of the bar. The crew was back at the booth. He veered off in their direction with Allina right by his side.

“We're going to head back to my place,” he announced.

“Is everything okay?” Syd asked, munching on a fry.

“Yep,” he said. “I'm tired.”

He didn't even try to make up a good lie. Judging by their looks, he would say they knew it, too. Kent glanced at the empty beer bottles and wineglasses. They were well on their way to being drunk. For a minute, he wished he could stay and chill with them. After all, knocking back drinks with his family had been his life for a long time.

Allina brushed his arm with her hand. “We can stay if you want.”

He glanced at her and smiled.
Why the hell would I stay with these fools when I could go home with her?
“Nah, I'm ready to go.”

Allina gave quick hugs to everybody and told Syd she'd call her the next day. Kent whispered to his brother that he should keep Syd out of her office until he could clean it up. Then he gave his boys dap, and he and Allina left.

A
llina jolted awake when she heard a knock on the door. She glanced at the clock. After they'd left the bar, she and Kent had gone back to his place to watch a movie and cuddle. But he'd gotten a call from Mama and had to rush over there to help her out.

She sat there for a while after he left, thinking about Isaac. What would she do if he found her? She had no way to protect herself. After her aunt died, Allina had started going to the gun range. Every time she visited home, her father would take her. Once she turned twenty-one, she bought her first gun and got her license. Not many people knew that about her, because they call it “concealed” for a reason. Having a gun and being able to shoot made her feel safe, especially when she would work late at the bridal shop.

Since she'd left Ohio with literally nothing but the clothes on her back, her pistol was still safely tucked away in her bedroom closet—back at her parent's house.

“Allina?” Kent's voice called from the other side of the door. “Baby, you in there?”

Scrambling off the bed, she raced to the door and pulled it open, throwing herself into Kent's arms. After a few seconds, she closed her eyes when his arms wrapped around her and squeezed.

“What's going on, baby?” he asked. “Are you okay?”

“I'm fine. I missed you.”

He shot her a super sexy smirk and gave her a lingering kiss. With their mouths still joined together, she smiled.

“I missed you, too.” he said, swatting her on her butt.

Hesitating, she bit her lip. “I have something to ask you.”

“What is it?” He kicked his shoes off.

She searched his eyes before blurting out, “I need your gun.”

He stepped back, eyes wide. “What? What the hell for? What happened, Lina?”

With trembling hands, she raked a hand through her hair. “I've been thinking about this since we left the Ice Box. I need to feel protected, Kent. I know you're here with me, but what about when you're not? He's already threatened Syd. I'd just feel safer.”

His face went blank; the muscle in his jaw twitched. Stomping to the closet door, he yanked it open with such force she thought the door was going to come off its hinges. Lowering himself to the safe, he punched in a code and pulled on the handle. He lifted a small box from the inside and stood to his full height.

She followed him over to the couch and sat down next to him. He opened the box and pulled out his handgun. “Not that I think you're going to need this, but I want you to know where it is and how to use it.”

Wrapping her hand around the grip of the gun she gently took it from him. Studying the pistol, she said, “I know how to use it.” When their gazes locked, she couldn't hide the smirk on her face at the surprise on his. “I have a Concealed Pistol License,” she explained. “My father taught me after…” She didn't finish that thought. She didn't want to bring her aunt into the conversation.

His mouth fell open.

“I learned at a very young age, thanks to Judge,” she told him. “I don't have my piece here, but it makes me feel better to know where yours is.” Giving him the gun back, she said,” You can put it back. I just needed to know how to get to it.”

He opened his mouth to speak but then clamped it closed. “You're full of surprises today. Come on.” Kent showed her how to get into the safe, and let her practice punching in the code a few times. When the gun was back in the safe, and they were seated on the couch again, he held her hand in his. “For the record, I don't believe that he will do anything to Syd. He doesn't have a death wish. But it's not out of the realm of possibility for him to figure out where you are. Because of that, I want you to be able to defend yourself.”

She rested her other hand on top of his. “Thank you. I hate this. I hate not knowing what he's going to do next. I don't want to be a prisoner forever.”

“It's not forever.” He squinted his eyes as if in deep thought. “I just think he's hoping to scare you enough to get you to run home. He's not used to this ‘bout' it side of you.”

She snickered, dropping her head on his arm. Kent could always make her laugh. She appreciated it most of all during times like these. He pulled her into his side and kissed the top of her head. “Thanks, Kent.” She wrapped her arms around his waist. “I love you.”

“Love you, too,” he murmured.

“I have something to tell you, Kent,” she said. It was time she told him everything. If they were really going to make a go at this, she needed to be honest. She would hate for Isaac to really know something incriminating and blow her family secret sky high. And she didn't want Kent to be blindsided. But she didn't dare look at him while she was telling him.

“What is it?” he asked.

“It's about my aunt,” she began. “About her death.” Reaching for his hand, she took a deep breath. “There is more to the story than I told you before.”

“Just say it,” he said.

“Well, everything I told you about the night she died was true, up until the moment that my mother caught her…doing what she did.” Closing her eyes, she willed herself to keep going. “The truth is, my mother was enraged at what she saw. They fought. Everything happened so quickly. One minute, my mother was defending me, screaming at Aunt Laura for violating me. The next my aunt was dead. My mother killed her.”

Kent tensed and jerked his head back. Using his finger to tilt her chin up, he looked at her. “What?” he asked, his eyes searching hers.

“My mom…she killed my aunt.”

“Wow,” he said. “What…what did you do?”

Allina struggled to continue. In a sense, she was betraying her parents by telling Kent what had happened back then. They'd all come to an agreement that no one would ever know. Now she was telling her new boyfriend?

“I threw up,” she answered lamely. “I mean…I just stood there, shocked.”

He frowned. “Wait a minute. Your mom never went to jail. So the courts must have deemed it self-defense.”

“Not exactly,” she mumbled. “My father came home and saw what had happened. He was devastated. The circumstances were awful and his sister was dead. I don't think he really even thought about it. He went into protective mode.” She lowered her gaze. “He covered up our involvement, made it so everyone would think an intruder killed my aunt.”

Kent nodded slowly, like her words were sinking in. “Basically, he panicked and did what he thought was best.”

“Yes,” she said. “And I think Isaac knows because he keeps telling me he knows things about me.”

Kent took a quick breath. “That's why everything surrounding the wedding and Isaac has brought all those memories of your aunt to the surface. I had a feeling you were holding something back from me. That's it. You've been carrying this guilt all these years.”

Choking back a sob, she slumped forward and ran her hands over her face. “When Isaac said that, my mind instantly took me back there. I can't let it get out, Kent. My parents would be destroyed. My father's reputation, ruined. He's a judge, an officer of the court. Isaac said he would ruin my father's reputation. And my mother…she could go to prison. I could, too. If he knows…”

Allina didn't want to think of the ramifications. It was bad—all bad.

He held her against him. “Baby, don't. What are the odds that Isaac would find out about something that happened that long ago?”

“But what if he does know?” Isaac's family had many connections. She'd never asked her father how he'd pulled it off, covered up the murder. What if Judge had help, had trusted someone he thought would keep his secret? What if that person betrayed him? Judge seemed so sure that Isaac would never know, but what else could Isaac have on her family that would destroy them?

“If he does, then we'll deal with it. I promise you. No matter what he does, I have your back.”

She leaned into him, grateful that he'd reacted the way he had. She'd entrusted him with not only hers, but her parents' livelihood. As scary as it was, she felt a sense of peace because she'd finally unburdened herself of the secret that had haunted her for so many years. And it felt good to know she wasn't alone, that she had someone who loved her in spite of it all.

Allina was staring at the ceiling after midnight, though. Punching her pillow, she rolled over to her side away from Kent. He'd fallen asleep hours ago, but she was still wide awake. Kicking the covers off, she growled. She'd expected to rest after being so open with Kent earlier, but sleep evaded her. It was no wonder, though. There was still so much going on. Isaac had threatened her before. What would prevent him from trying to carry out his promise to hurt her? For all she knew, he was biding his time, waiting for the perfect opportunity to hit her where it would hurt.

“Shit,” she heard Kent say before he slid off the bed and padded into the bathroom.

A few minutes later, she heard his feet shuffling across the plush carpet. Then she felt the bed dip as he lowered himself down onto the mattress. She wanted to throw herself into his arms, beg him to take her until morning—anything to stop her from thinking about her situation for at least a couple hours.

She felt him against her back, the skin on her legs tingling as he swept his palm up her leg, lifting up her thin nightgown as he traveled. When his hand slipped around to cup her she moaned.

“You want me to help you go to sleep?” he murmured against her ear.

“Yes,” she breathed, trying not to sound so desperate.

He kissed her jawline and down her neck. Tilting her head toward him, he brushed his lips against hers—again and again. Deepening the kiss, he sucked her tongue until she groaned. She shifted until she was lying flat on her back and reached out for him, but he gripped her wrists with his hands and pinned them above her head.

Using his knee, he pushed her thighs apart. Still gripping her wrists with one of his hands, he feathered the fingers of the other one down her body, stopping to tease her nipples before pausing at her panties.

Allina couldn't breathe; she squirmed against the mattress as the ache in her belly intensified with each caress. His hot tongue mated with hers, drawing a whimper of pleasure from her throat. He pushed her underwear down and slipped a finger into her heat, hooking it upward. Her orgasm came swift and hard. She quaked as it rolled through her.

She expected him to keep going, to climb on top of her and take her, but when he removed his finger and let her go, she frowned and glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. He was staring down at her, a soft and seductive smile on his face.

“Kent?” she croaked.

He kissed her again and rolled over on his back, pulling her on top of him. Instinctively, she straddled his waist and sat astride his lap. He sat up, too, rubbing his hands up her spine.

“You ready?” he asked softly. “Ride it like you want it,” he commanded softly.

Allina's mouth fell open. He'd never talked to her like that. Most of the time he whispered sweet declarations of how much he cared for her and how he loved her. To hear him be so…blunt, though, made her heart pound wildly in her chest and the hair on her arms and neck rise. She liked it—no, she loved it.
Has he been holding back with me?

“Uh, I don't…” She didn't want to say she'd never done this before, because he was well aware of her lack of experience. But his erection, hard against her, was making it impossible to concentrate on anything else.

“It's okay,” he said.

Allina lowered herself on top of him, and she closed her eyes as he filled her. Letting her head fall back, she enjoyed the shiver that shot up her spine as he pulsed inside of her.

“Oh God,” she groaned, framing his face with her hands and pulling him in to kiss. She swept her tongue along his bottom lip, grinning against his mouth when she heard a low moan escape.

He planted both hands on her hips, guiding her slowly at first as he grinded into her. Their movements were natural, like they were meant to be this way with each other. She rocked her hips back and forth, enjoying his quick intakes of breath as the pace increased. She felt like a boss. With every thrust, every kiss, she was set free.

Their lovemaking was different this time, more urgent. Like they both needed it to survive. His hand wrapped around the back of her neck as he gently bit down on her lip. Aroused to the point of frustration, she raked her fingernails over his back. Kent had taken up residence in her soul. All five of her senses were infused with him.

His hands seemed to be everywhere: splayed on her back, running down her sides, sweeping over her shoulders, and cupping her breasts. When her orgasm ripped through her, she cried out as she shook against him. She vaguely heard him growl out her name because everything seemed to go still, silent as the shockwaves rippled through her.

When her surroundings came into focus again, she collapsed against him, hugging him to her like he was her lifeline.

He fell back against the mattress with her in his arms. His heart pounded against her chest.

After a few minutes, she peered up at him. His mouth twitched into a sexy half-smile and a burst of heat filled her stomach.
God, I love you
.

“I love you, too,” he murmured, kissing her brow.

She hadn't realized she'd spoken out loud, but she didn't care. She was content and she'd shout it to the whole world if she had to. Her eyes drifted closed. The heaviness in her chest had disappeared and she took a breath, savoring the moment.

Kent's alarm blared and his eyes popped open. Allina was still lying on top of him, and he was still inside her. It had been hours since she'd made him come so long and hard that he thought he'd heard the “Hallelujah Chorus” ringing in his ears.