The Taming (The Black Thunder Series) (29 page)

“It’s time for you to render your magic on me,” exclaimed Jack as he strode toward her.

“How am I going to seduce you if I can’t use my hands,” she said.

“The possibilities are endless,” he grinned from ear to ear
. “I suggest you use your mouth.”

Kate turned a bright shade of red and stepped back
. “I’m not doing that,” she shook her head back and forth.

“You want to start now, baby,” he toyed with her as he took another step toward her.

“No,” spouted Kate as she matched his step like a dance moving back.

“I want you to start right here
.” He pointed to his mouth.

“Untie me first, then I’ll kiss you,” she said thinking this was not the way she rehearsed it in her
head this afternoon.

“Are we back to making deals?” he asked as he kind of liked the idea.

“Maybe.”

“Kiss me first and then I’ll untie you,” Jack placed his own offer on the table.

“You promise?”

“Remember baby, I’m not a man who makes promises,” said Jack with a sly grin.

“Then I am not kissing you.”

“I don’t think you’re in a position to negotiate,” he stated rather arrogantly
. “If you want me to untie you, you will kiss me.”

“Fine, I’ll kiss you, but since I can’t touch you then you can’t touch me,” she counter-offered.

“Deal,” smiled Jack triumphantly.

Kate moved closer to him
. She gently brushed her lips on his and parted them as she rendered a sensual dream-like kiss. It was slow and long, tweaking his senses, making him want more. Kate pulled back ever so slightly nipping his bottom lip then skimming her tongue around the inside of his mouth. It took all of Jack’s strength not to slam his tongue down her throat and claim her. Kate pulled away and stepped back. He lingered for a second eyes still closed relishing in that moment of bliss. He opened his eyes and ran his fingers through his hair.

“You’re torturing me, Kate,” he said in a low husky tone.

“Untie me, Jack.”

“Now, wait a minute,” he said as a thought sprung to his head
. “I have another deal.”

“What’s your deal?” she asked, as she saw an emerald sparkle in
his eyes.

“Let’s explore this a little further
. I’ll keep you tied, but I can’t touch you. You on the other hand can only use your mouth to entice me. If I touch you, I’ll untie you.”

Kate bit the bottom of her lip and considered his offer
. She knew he would not last five minutes. “Deal,” said Kate feeling victory coursing through her veins, or was it desire?

She took a step toward him again
. “Oh Jack, the things I’m going to do to you.” Her voice was sultry and Jack felt the tightening of his groin.

Kate kissed him again really slowly
. Jack closed his eyes and felt his stomach muscles clenching. She parted from him, her breath heavy with desire. She teased him, kissing and parting until his head leaned forward like a magnet drawn to her lips. She lingered by his mouth, tempting him with her tongue. Then she slammed her mouth hard against his and kissed him with as much passion and pleasure she could muster.

Jack’s hands flew up in the air and he was about to wrap them through her hair
. He stopped short and scrunched his hands into fists. He steadied his passions and returned them to his side.

Kate released his lips and moved lower over his chest
. She ran her tongue tantalizingly slow over his nipple. She felt his body shudder and his rippling muscles twitching as if sharp electrical current was pricking at his skin. She repeated the process on the other and heard Jack release a growl in his throat.

Kate tortured him at the same place, taking him into her mouth and dancing her tongue with wild abandon
. Jack’s fists got tighter, his breathing increased. Kate moved upward again trailing kisses mixed with tongue to his neck and ear. She nibbled his lobe with her teeth, then trailed it with her tongue and exhaled hot breath against his skin.

“Damn you, Kate,” he moaned
. “You’re going to make me come before I experience the best part.”

“No baby, don’t you dare come,” she
whispered her heat in his ear. “I’m not done with you yet.” Kate felt a sense of empowerment knowing she held the power and control over his body. It was wild and erotic. She had never experienced anything like this before. The mere touch of her mouth was rendering him out of control. It was at that moment she understood what he meant to give up control. He was teaching her, and Kate was a fast learner.

“Are you ready for the best part,” continued Kate as she moved her tongue over his chest and down to his abdomen.

“Oh yeah, baby,” he laughed though he was clenching his teeth. “You have no idea what you’re doing to me.”

“Oh, I think I do.”

She knelt on one knee and steadied herself. It was a little tricky with her hands tied behind her back, but she mastered it placing her other knee on the ground and kneeling before him.

“Spread your legs a little, baby,” she bellowed her command and Jack complied
. Kate kissed him on the inside of his thigh and trailed her tongue up to the point of his need. She repeated it on his other leg.

“Christ Kate, just do it already!” Jack growled and ran both of his hands through his hair.

Kate was slow and deliberate. She ran the tip of her tongue over him and stopped then repeated it again. Jack’s legs began to quiver. His mind went instantly blank and all he felt was the need to be inside her mouth. The anticipation was driving him insane. Kate wet her lips and sucked him deep in her mouth. Jack released a groan. But as quickly as the pleasure came it left when she drew back.

“You’re mine, Jack,” she groaned on his tip
. “Say it. Say your mine!”

“Oh Kate, when I get my hands on you I am going to f
-”

Jack groaned again as Kate filled her mouth with his need
. She moved with sharp deliberate strokes, darting in and out then taking him deep drawing on him lower in her throat. Once more she pulled out in a slow pulling movement.

“Say your mine,” she
beckoned in a feminine growl.

“I’m all yours, baby.” He was out of his mind.

Kate performed it again sliding back and forth bringing him close to the edge. She stopped and breathed her hot air sending his body into a rippling quiver.

“You belong to me, Jack,” she growled again. “Only me
. Remember that.”

“Yes, I belong to you.” He growled back as his hands clenched tighter into fists as every ounce of his being wanted to touch her
. “Only you Kate, always you.”

She
swallowed him whole in her mouth, plunging him deeper and deeper inside her. Jack thrust his hips forward wanting more. Kate was relentless in her delightful torture urging him on. Her sounds and his groans added to his urgency until Jack could no longer hold back.

“I’m ready,” he moaned
. “Pull out now if you want me to finish.”

Kate ignored him and this time sucked him all the way inside her mouth
. Jack grabbed her by the back of her hair and pressed her deep to him as he exploded.

“Oh, fuck yes,” he growled in a deep voice
. Jack released her and Kate sat back on her heels. He dropped to the floor beside her.

“Turn around,” he whispered as he tried to untie her but his hands were shaking so badly he couldn’t undo the knot.

Jack skimmed the floor and retrieved his jeans. He pulled out his pocket knife and cut the rope free. Kate felt a sense of triumph flood through her as she rubbed her wrists. Jack fell back on the floor, his spine pressing against the carpet and a satiated grin planted on his face. He lifted his head and stared at her.

“You are a fucking goddess, you know that, Kate?” He laughed, then threw his head back on the carpet and closed his eyes
. His body was tingling everywhere like sharp sparks of electricity. His breathing was rapid and he tried to slow it down in order to gain control of his body.

“You want to do it again?”
She asked as she ran her hand along his chest.

He
shuttered and took her hand to prevent further torment until he could settle down.

“Give me a minute,” he exclaimed.

Kate laughed and slid on her belly beside him, dangling her legs up in the air.

“Did you like it?” she asked as she leaned on her elbow and gave him a sheepish grin.

“Like it?” he laughed again. “Baby, I think I’m in love with you!”

His declaration startled her as Kate’s eyes popped wide
. Her heart started racing in her chest and she felt all melty and gooey inside. Only one other person ever told her that and it ended in betrayal. Now here was this man, this overbearing and arrogant man humbling himself before her and declaring his heart.

Jack saw the look of shock on her face
. He hadn’t meant to tell her what was stirring inside.

“Relax, Kate,” he said
. “It was a figure of speech, so don’t read more into it than it is.”

“
Oh-” she choked. “I knew that.” And she looked away. Her moment of triumph was over. It was a figure of speech, and Jack didn’t love her. It shouldn’t have bothered her but it did. Kate laid her head down on the carpet away from him.

“Boy, am
I starved,” said Jack. “You have worked me up into a healthy appetite, baby.”

“Whatever you want, Jack,”
she said fighting back the lump forming in her throat.

He rolled on his side and began to rub her back
. He felt her flinch beneath his palms. “Kate, did I do something wrong?”

“No
.” She lied and tightened to his insincere touch.

“I did
. I can tell because you won’t look at me.”

“It’s nothing
.” She climbed on her knees and stood. “Why don’t you take a shower while I reheat dinner?” She avoided his gaze not wanting him too see the tears she was so desperately fighting to hide.

Jack jumped to his feet and reached for her hand
. “Take a shower with me?”

“I don’t feel like it
.” She pulled away and headed for the door. He stepped in front of her and Kate turned her face away. “Come on,” he said as he took her by the hand and led her into the bathroom. He turned on the shower then proceeded to undress her.

Kate kept her eyes lowered to the floor, too ashamed and embarrassed for him to see her upset
. Jack stepped into the shower then Kate. She was grateful for the water washing over her face as it concealed the tears that began to spill down her cheeks. In spite of her efforts to hide her distress, Jack knew. He lifted her chin and searched her eyes.

“I’ve hurt you Kate, but I don’t know how,” he said in a soothing voice.

“It’s nothing.” She lowered her head. “I’m overreacting.”

“What are you overreacting to?”

“It was a figure of speech.” She pretended to laugh but inside her heart was aching. “Of course you don’t love me. You barely know me, right?” She turned away and faced the wall, silent sobs escaped her lips.

“I know you better than you think.” Jack leaned over her shoulder and whispered in her ear
. He laid his hand on her belly and pressed her against him. “How do you know I didn’t mean it? Maybe when I said it I meant it.”

“I think you said it out of the heat of the moment.”
She laughed in spite of her tears.

“You did a really good job, baby.” He nuzzled her neck and laid light kisses
. “Do you want to hear me say it again, because I will if you want?”

“I don’t know,”
she said truthfully. “It scares me to hear you say it and it scares me not to hear you say it.”

“I know
.” He felt her vulnerability. “I promise I won’t hurt you the way he did.”

“I thought you didn’t make promises,” said Kate as tears rolled down her cheeks.

“I only make promises that I know I can keep.” He turned her to face him. “And I promise you I will guard your heart like it’s my own.”

Jack lifted her chin and kissed her like he had never kissed her before
. He made love to her in the shower then carried her to bed. He was tender and gentle, caring for her like she was a rare treasure. He buried her beside him, spooning their bodies into a one line curve. He cupped her breast with his hand as he nestled kisses to the back of her shoulder, lulling her to sleep. He listened to the change of her breathing as she drifted in and out of slumber.

“I love you, Kate
.” He whispered in her ear as his words echoed in her mind playing like a sweet melody until she fell into the place of her dreams
.

Twenty

History Remains in the Past

K
ate stood before the bathroom mirror curling her hair. Jack leaned in the doorway and watched her. Never in his wildest dreams would he have imagined he would be sharing his bathroom with this glorious creature who was now preventing him from shaving. He liked the feeling of all of this, and the change was good for him.

Kate felt his presence and glanced in the mirror at the handsome man watching her with appreciative eyes
. “I’ll be done in a minute.”

“Take your time
. I’m in no hurry.”

“It’s dangerous to tell a woman to take her time,” she laughed
. “You may never get your bathroom back.”

“I can think of a few ways to get you away from the mirror.” He grinned.

“I’m sure you can.” She returned her attention back to curling her hair.

“I don’t know why you’re fussing with your hair today
. It’s only going to get wet later.”

“Why, where are we going?”

Jack entered the bathroom and walked up behind her. He pulled the curling iron plug from its socket, took it out of her hands, and set it on top of the shelf.

“Barbie doll, I think it’s time for you and me to do a little sun worshipping at the lake.”

“You’re taking me to Lake Tahoe?” She spun on her heels and showered her excitement.

“
Oh, hell no! That water is too cold. It’ll make my nuts shrivel up. I’m taking you to Lake Lahanton.”

“Where’s that?”

“It’s in the valley past Silver Springs.”

“Oh,” said Kate like she knew where it was, but in truth she had no clue.

“You did bring your bathing suit with you my little California girl?”

“Of course I did
.” She smiled.

“Is it a bikini?” His eyes glittered with mischief.

“Which one?”

“You have more than one
?” He lifted his brow.

“Follow me
.” She led him back to the bedroom and opened one of her drawers. Jack saw an array of tiny bikini tops with matching bottoms.

“You have at least a dozen,
” he exclaimed and shook his head. He held one up and saw how tiny it was.

“I was born and raised on the beach.”
She released a smile. “I practically lived in bathing suits.”

“Wow,” said Jack as he felt himself go hard just picturing her parading around the beach in one of these.

“Pick one,” said Kate as she returned to the bathroom. She rolled up the cord on her curling iron and placed it back in its drawer then sauntered back to the bedroom.

“I chose this one
.” Jack held up a matching set with more string than material and handed it to Kate. She placed it on the bed then went to the closet to retrieve her beach bag. She pulled out her e-reader and plugged it in to charge.

“What’s that?” asked Jack.

“It’s my e-book. I figured I could catch up on some reading while we’re at the lake.”

“You like to read?”

“I love to read. Don’t you?”

“Never been much on reading
.” He stated in a Jack McBride kind of way. “Seems like a waste of time when there’s work to be done.”

“I disagree,”
she said rummaging through her bag checking to make sure she had everything she needed.

“So what else you got in there?”
he asked as he sat on the bed.

“Polarized sunglasses, which make it easier to read… my favorite flip-flops, and suntan lotion.”

Jack reached in the bag and pulled out her suntan lotion. “This isn’t strong enough, baby,” he frowned turning the bottle to the back and reading its content. “You’ll burn using this out here.” He discarded it in the small waste basket by the side of his bed. “We need to stop at the store and get something with a higher UVB protection.”

“Th
e lotion is fine,” she said and walked around the bed and retrieving it from the basket. She went to place it back in her bag but before she had a chance Jack intercepted it.

“The sun is different here
,” he said snatching it out of her hand. “We’re higher in elevation and I don’t want your beautiful skin to fry, so we’re stopping at the store and that’s that.” He nodded his decision was final and tossed it for the last time back into the small receptacle.

“Whatever you say, Jack
.” She resigned with a hidden grin.

Jack went to the bathroom to shave while Kate changed into her bikini
. She threw a pair of shorts and a tee over the top of her suit, then grabbed her hairbrush and several hair ties and threw them in her bag along with a couple of beach towels she found in the hall closet.

Jack dressed in his swimming trunks and tank
. He slipped into sandals then headed downstairs and out the front door. He gathered the iced cooler, two lounge chairs, the E-Z Up umbrella, and a blanket, and placed them in the back of his pickup along with Kate’s beach bag and a change of clothing.

Jack went in search of his manager and found Mark in the small outer office.

“I’m heading out for the day.” Jack informed his right-hand man. “You think you can handle everything while I’m gone?”

“Like I said before, I have everything under
control,” said Mark not lifting his eyes from his paperwork. “You and Kate go have some fun for a change. Where are you headed if you don’t mind my asking?”

“We’re going to the lake
. I’ve got my cell phone if you need me.”

“Wow, to the lake, huh
?” Mark glanced up and for the first time noticed that Jack was not wearing his usual attire of work clothes and boots. He leaned over his desk and scanned the man from head to toe. His legs were white as a ghost compared to the rest of him and Mark’s moustache twitched in realization that he’d never seen Jack’s bare toes before and especially not in sandals. “You haven’t been to the lake in a long while.”

“Not a lot of time to play when there’s work to be done
. But I have Kate to consider now. She’s going to need my attention just as much as the ranch, so I’ve decided to take Saturdays off for a while to spend them with her.”

Mark tried to hide his grin
. It was the oddest conversation he ever had with his employer. Never in a million years would he have thought his illustrious boss, Jack McBride, would settle down and become a family man. But the transformation was happening right before his eyes, and he owed it to the spirited blonde who came to live in the carriage house.

“Have fun, Jack,” said Mark as he watched his beachwear-dressed employer leave the office
.

Jack arrived at the truck just as Kate popped through the front door with her sleek little sunglasses abridged her nose and her hair tied back in a high ponytail
. Jack grinned thinking she did look like a Barbie doll today.

“You ready
?” He held the cab door open for her.

“I think so
.” She slid into the seat and he closed the door.

He darted around the truck and climbed into the driver’s seat
then turned the ignition. He drove down the dirt road away from the ranch.

“I thought we might take a short detour,” said Jack as he pulled out onto the road
. He rounded the ridge as Virginia City came into view. “Want to see the place where I grew up?”

“Sure,” said Kate as her heart
raced with excitement and little surprise.

Jack first gave her a complete tour of the town along with all its side streets
. He seemed proud to show her the place of his youth and the history that surrounded this secluded community nestled along the hilltop of Nevada’s mountainous terrain.

“See that building over there?” Jack pointed to a two-story
stone square. “When Virginia City was a booming town this was the schoolhouse.”

“That’s a big schoolhouse for back then,” said Kate amazed that education was important to the citizens of that time period.

“It even had a swimming pool built under its gymnasium.”

“Quite an expensive undertaking.”

“Back in its day Virginia City was the wealthiest town around,” said Jack. “But when the gold dried up, so did much of the town. But the stories and legends are still what keep this place alive. We got some strange things that happen around here.”

“Like what?” she smiled listening to him speak proudly of his town.

“Do you believe in ghosts?” he asked as he looked over at her.

“Of course I do.”

“I thought you might,” Jack laughed. “The town is brimming with them. Sometime I’ll take you through the cemetery at night and we’ll go exploring. I have sat many a night along Captain Storey’s grave and have had some good long conversations with him.”

“Why at night?”
She asked thinking she hated cemeteries in the daylight why would she want to go through them at night.

“Because that’s when the weird stuff happens,” he smiled and squeezed her leg.

“I thought you didn’t believe in ghosts.”

“Who told you that
?” He glanced her way.

“You did.”

“Well I may have over-exaggerated that day because you got me all riled up,” he said. “You do that a lot to me.”

“Why you little ghost-believing hypocrite.” She laughed
.

“Guilty as charged, baby.” He gave her a wide grin.

Jack veered off the main road and headed down along the side streets. The narrow blocks of community disappeared as it turned into rows of piled dirt, like it had been squared into sections for mining. Intermittent rows of tiny wooden shacks with backs pressed against the tan and orange carved out dirt mounds were scattered in random order on the narrow dirt street. Jack pulled up to one of the shacks and stopped the truck.

“What’s the history here?”
She asked. It looked very depressed with scattered trash of old rusted mining relics scattered along the hillside.

“This is where I lived
.” Jack pointed to the small wooden shack.

Kate was at a loss for words as she looked at the dilapidated box
. It couldn’t have been more than two rooms in the shack judging from its size.

“This is where you lived
?” He heard the shock in her tone and she looked at him and saw he was telling her the truth. “I naturally assumed your family had money since you have the ranch and all.” She didn’t mean it the way it came out but Jack understood. He expected her to react just the way she did.

“Nope, we were dirt poor
.” He laughed thinking back to when he was young. “My old man didn’t have two nickels to rub together.”

“You’ve done quite well for yourself
. You should be proud of your accomplishments Jack.”

“Hard work leads to prosperity, baby
.” He squeezed her leg.

“Can we get out and look around?” She went to reach for the door handle.

“No, Kate.” Jack blocked her hand preventing her from leaving the truck. “It’s enough that I showed it to you at all. You don’t need to see what my life was like inside. Some things are better left unseen.”

Kate didn’t have to be hit over the head to see the memories were still painful for
him, but she couldn’t help wondering what his life was like growing up in a place like this.

Jack pulled away from the shack and drove down another road leading them away from Virginia City and into a canyon
. The road was narrow with its winding twists and turns surrounded by tall mountain peaks topped with powder blue sky. Kate could almost picture Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid riding out of the hills.

“Where are we?”
She asked him.

“This here is Six Mile Canyon Road
. We’re heading down in elevation from about sixty-two hundred feet to forty-four and straight into Dayton Valley.”

As they emerged from Six Mile Canyon, Kate stared at the breathtaking view before her
. It was a large plush valley with wide-open sky surrounded in the distance by a mountain range peaked with white snow. The panoramic view reminded her of a postcard. Small communities of gathered stick dwellings and mobile homes patched out like a quilt across the desert valley floor.

Jack turned onto what looked like a main road with four lanes in total
. He sped up to maintain his speed along with the other traveling cars and trucks. A group of bikers passed their truck and waved. Jack blew his horn and waved back.

“Do you know them?” A
sked Kate as she watched six motorcycles speed past them.

“I know everyone around here
. The guy leading is Perry. We went to school together. Hell of a nice guy.” They continued along the main road or what looked like a small highway.