Son of a Preacher Man (17 page)

“How hungry are you?” she asked.

“Starved. But not for ham sandwiches and potato salad. Let’s start with dessert.” He grabbed the bottle of chocolate sauce before leading her to the bedroom.

The fading light lent a sepia tint to the room. Nadya looked soft and golden in the last rays of the setting sun, and his breath caught as she unclipped her hair and it tumbled down her back.

“Why are you just standing there?” she asked. “You had some mighty big talk in the kitchen. Afraid you can’t back it up?” She pulled her T-shirt over her head, unbuttoned her shorts and let them fall to the floor.

“No, I just thought I’d enjoy the view.”

Her lush breasts were pushed high and tight by the lacy cups of her black bra. Her hips flared out with a curve that just begged for a man’s touch. The scrap of lace that served as her panties was practically transparent and so much more enticing than naked skin.

She ran her hand across the crest of her breast, then trailed a finger under the band. With her hair curling riotously over her shoulders and the glint in her sexy, slanted eyes, he could easily believe she was a gypsy temptress out to ensnare him. And he was more than willing to get trapped.

Sweat sprung up along his brow as he watched her hand lightly circle her stomach. It was all he could do to hold his position when her fingers glided down to the wicked delight of her lace-covered mound. His control snapped when she turned and he saw she wore a thong. The perfect globes of her ass were separated by a thin strip of black that teased him with its narrowness.

With a growl, he tossed the bottle of chocolate sauce aside and stripped off his clothes in record time. Nadya knelt on the bed, watching him walk toward her. Her eyes lit hungrily on his cock, and when she finally met his gaze, she licked her lips.

“I guess you weren’t all talk, after all.” Her voice was husky with promise. He reached for her, but she eluded his grasp. “Let me touch you first. Once you get your hands on me I can’t think straight, and I want to explore a bit first.”

Was she fucking kidding? His heart was beating out of his chest and she wanted to tease him? He’d never survive it.

“Please?” Her dark brown eyes melted his resistance.

“I don’t know how much I can take,” he warned.

“I’ll be gentle. Just lie back. And don’t touch me yet.”

Her eyes glittered down on him as he complied with her wishes. He grasped the rails on the headboard and held on for dear life. She looked at the floor where his uniform—and his handcuffs—lay in a heap.

“Don’t even think about it.”

“I trust you to control yourself.”

He wasn’t so sure about that, but he tried to relax as she straddled his waist. Her hair curtained them as she leaned down to capture his lips with hers. She teased and tormented, never letting him have a full taste of her mouth.

With little flicks of her tongue, she made her way down his throat to his shoulder.

“I love your muscles. I know that sounds shallow, but when they stretch your shirt it gets me all shivery.” She traced the hills and valleys of his biceps. “What does Semper Fi mean?”

He glanced down at the tattoo he’d gotten when he’d finished boot camp. “It’s the motto of the Marines. It means
Always Loyal
or
Always Faithful
, depending on who you ask.”

“It fits you.” She scooted onto his thighs, carefully avoiding his dick. “How did you get this scar?” She traced the raised flesh that ran from his navel practically to his hip bone with her tongue. Her hair teased his cock, and he gasped with the pleasure of a thousand tiny caresses.

“Skirmish in Fallujah. Knife wound.” The headboard creaked as he clenched it in his white-knuckled grasp.

“You’re lucky to be alive.” She continued to lick and kiss his stomach, moving closer and closer to his cock but not touching it.

“Trust me, I’m feeling very lively right now.”

“I can see that.” She wrapped her hand around his length and squeezed. The pleasure of her touch rocked him straight to the base of his shaft. Heat pulsed through him and sweat made his hands slippery, but he didn’t break.

As if sensing his weakening will, she unclasped her bra and threw it to the side. Her breasts bounced free, and she cupped them in her palms as if offering them to him. When he let go of the bed, she raised one coal-black eyebrow, mocking him silently.

J.T. clenched his teeth and put his hands back behind his head.

“Impressive.”

He wasn’t sure if she meant his control or his cock, but he didn’t care because she pressed her deliciously full breasts against his length, and he lost any further power of thought. The sight of her between his legs about did him in. But when she wrapped her red lips around the head of his dick and sucked, he crashed and burned.

“Time’s up,” he growled and pulled her up onto his chest.

He captured her lips and drove his tongue into her mouth the way he wanted to drive his length into her softness. Her wanton panties were history with one quick snap, and she was gloriously naked for his pleasure. He slid a finger inside her slick warmth and she clenched it with a cry. She was tight and wet and pulsing around his hand.

Nadya squirmed on top of him until she straddled his hips. Rising up, she fitted him to her entrance and sank down, taking his entire length in one long slide.

“Oh God!” She threw her head back and ground against him.

Watching the ecstasy on her face as she rode him pushed him to his limits. He wanted nothing more than to grab her rounded hips and slam into her hard and fast. But he fought for the last ounce of his control and let her take her pleasure, one slow fucking stroke at a time.

Her eyes blazed as she stared down at him, her tempo growing faster and faster. “Please, J.T., finish it.”

That was all he needed to hear. He clasped her ass in his hands and rolled them over until he could hammer into her. With each thrust, the pleasure built at the base of his cock, coiling tighter and tighter. He could feel his heart beating like a snare drum, or maybe that was hers. It didn’t matter. All that mattered was reaching that elusive peak just out of reach.

Nadya dug her nails into his arms as she let out a cry of completion. Just in time, as he couldn’t hold back the storm any longer. He flowed into her until he felt empty and boneless. With the last of his energy, he rolled to the side so he wouldn’t crush her, but he continued to hold her in his arms.

When he had the ability to think again, he knew he never wanted to let her go.

Chapter Twelve

Nadya’s bladder woke her up long before she was ready to leave the comfort of J.T.’s arms. A reluctant glance at the clock on the nightstand let her know it wasn’t worth trying to fight it and go back to sleep. J.T. had to leave for work in about forty-five minutes, and being a man, he’d get up in about half an hour and be ready to go. If she didn’t want to stroll into Mary Ellen’s house looking like the whore of Dale, she’d need to get in a quick shower first.

Of course, her suitcase was still in the truck, which complicated matters. Tip-toeing to his dresser, she grabbed one of his T-shirts and slipped off to the bathroom. The toothbrush he’d given her on her last visit was still there, so she was in good shape.

A sensual shiver raced down her spine as she remembered the last time she took a shower in here. Making love with a strong man lent itself to all sorts of positions not available otherwise. She’d always wished to be a few inches taller and maybe make it to five six or five seven, but the way J.T. carried her around like she weighed nothing made her appreciate her small size.

Geez, if she didn’t stop daydreaming about J.T. she’d crawl right back in bed with him and she’d never get a decent cup of coffee.

Hmm, what a debate—a desperately needed cup of coffee or another round of J.T.’s sexual magic. She’d taken two steps towards the bedroom before her common sense asserted itself. J.T. wouldn’t appreciate being late, and now that the whole town knew she was sleeping here, she didn’t want to give them any ammunition to harass him with.

J.T.’s T-shirt fell mid-thigh on her and covered up her lack of underwear. At the rate he was destroying her clothes, she’d have to go shopping before she went back to New York. But damn, it was so worth it.

The morning sunlight trickled through the tree branches and gave the kitchen a cheery glow. She’d spent many mornings with her mama in this very kitchen, getting ready for school. It seemed as natural as could be to start a pot of coffee and search the fridge for something for breakfast.

The pickings were slim. A few eggs, some milk, the sack of groceries from last night and beer. Not any fruit or vegetables in sight. No yogurt or bagels either. She examined the contents of the grocery sack and pulled out the hard rolls, cheese and ham. At least she could work with those. The potato salad just didn’t seem like breakfast food to her so she put that back on the shelf. There was plenty of room for it.

Before long, she had a mug of coffee in her hand and was frying up the ham for an egg sandwich. When she heard the shower stop, she poured a mug for J.T. and cracked another egg into the pan.

“I think I must be in heaven,” he said as he wrapped his arms around her. “Coffee already made and a beautiful woman in my kitchen making me breakfast.”

Her body instantly responded to his nearness, sending zings of pleasure straight to her core. She had to tamp down the pleasure or he’d definitely be late for work. “Oh please, you can’t tell me you haven’t had plenty of volunteers to bring you breakfast in bed. I’ve seen the way every woman in this town looks at you. One flash of your dimples and you’d have a line down Deer Creek Road of women bringing you coffee.”

He took his mug and sat at the table. “That’s why I moved here in the first place. I lived in town for a while, and every time I opened my door there was someone who just wanted to drop off a plate of cookies or brownies or whatnot.”

“And of course, being the gentleman that you are, you’d let them in and visit with them for half an hour.”

“Exactly. I couldn’t get anything done. And it was really uncomfortable.”

“Poor baby. It’s so hard to be the object of so many women’s dreams.”

“It’s not as funny as it sounds.”

Nadya put the ham, egg and cheese on a grilled roll and slipped it onto a plate for him. “Well, this doesn’t rival Mary Ellen’s biscuits and gravy, but it’ll hold you over better than a slice of toast.”

As she leaned over to put the plate on the table in front of him, the T-shirt rode up, exposing her naked butt. She tugged the material down, but not before J.T. noticed. He let out a whistle of appreciation and ran his hand over the curve of one cheek.

“Yup, definitely heaven.”

“I’m glad you’re happy. But maybe when you finish eating you could go out to the truck and get my suitcase? I don’t think Mary Ellen would appreciate my present attire as much as you do.”

He continued to fondle her butt, those long fingers stroking her gently. She could feel herself getting wet and ready for him. Her breasts were full and heavy, and she closed her eyes and moaned as he feathered closer and closer to her hot center.

The shrill ringing of his cell phone broke the spell and she jumped away from his wicked hand.

“McBride,” he all but growled into his phone.

Nadya’s hands shook as she crossed to the sink to wash the dishes. One touch of his hand and she was putty, all common sense thrown to the wind. She stared out the window over the sink, trying to collect herself and calm her raging hormones.

A movement by the wood pile caught her attention. She didn’t see anything else, but something or someone was there at the edge of the bushes. Her breath caught and old fears returned in a flash. How often had someone come sneaking up on them when she was growing up here? Instinctively, she turned toward the living room where the shotgun used to hang over the fireplace.

“I’ve got to go,” J.T. said as he hung up. “What is it? What’s wrong?” He was by her side in a flash.

“I saw something move, out there by the bushes. It’s gone now, but it brought back some bad memories for me. It was probably just a deer or something, but old habits die hard.”

“Wait here. I’ll go check it out.”

“Finish your breakfast, really. I’m sure it was nothing. I just get jumpy sometimes.”

“I have to go out to get your suitcase anyway. I’ll be right back.” He gave her a quick kiss and headed out the door.

She didn’t know why, but nervousness clutched at her stomach as she watched him from the kitchen window. What if someone was out there? With a gun?

“Stop being ridiculous,” she chided herself. But still, she breathed a sigh of relief when he came back into the cabin with her suitcase.

“I didn’t see anything, but with all this heat, the ground is baked harder than a rock, which makes it hard to see any footprints.”

“I’m sure it was nothing.” She wheeled her suitcase towards the bedroom while he finished the rest of his egg sandwich.

She heard the plate clang against the sink and then he was leaning against the door jam. “Trust your instincts. I know you haven’t been here for a while, but you know the rhythm of the forest. If something seems off, it probably is. Don’t second-guess yourself.”