Page 21 of Jonathan

“Easy boy.” Running a soothing hand over Ebony’s flank, he quieted the animal. “I think we’re about to take a trip to the cabin.” It was already a foregone conclusion that he was going to her tonight.

*****

He rose from his slouching position on the porch, where he had been waiting for the past hour, his anger kindling as he waited. He certainly had not expected that she would not be here and when he saw that her vehicle was gone, he had dismounted and stood there, wondering if he should just get the hell out of here and go back to the ranch.

He was tired and stiff from being on his horse for most of the day. And he really should go home and get some sleep.

Where the hell was she? He thought furiously. He had not heard any of the men mentioning that they had seen her. But perhaps it was because he had practically snarled at them whenever they mentioned her name. They were no doubt steering clear of talking about her.

His jealousy was irrational, but he did not give a damn. He had a taste of her and she - what? Belonged to him? Christ! He had a feeling that Kamilah Wilton belonged to no one.

He was in the shadows, but he saw when she noticed that he was standing on the porch. She hesitated briefly, before slamming the door shut and pressing the alarm. He had no idea why she bothered. There has not been a car theft in town for years. People left their vehicles unlocked. But why would she be privy to that information?

“You’re trespassing.” She mounted the steps, and it was then that he took in her attire. It left nothing to the bloody imagination.

“Sue me.” His eyes glittered as he moved in behind her and grabbed the key.

“Hey!”

Ignoring her and tamping down the anger and jealousy raging inside him, he shoved the door open and stepped inside.

“Where were you?”

She simply gave him a look before sailing past him and entering the living room. Figures, he thought grimly. She had forgotten to start a fire and the place was freezing. He set about dealing with that, by throwing in wood chips and watching as the fire blazed to life.

“Make yourself at home.”

He turned to look at her and fresh anger burst inside her chest. “Is that how you dress where you’re from?”

He knew he sounded like a prude, but he was damned if he cared. He could see the imprints of her nipples against the thin material of her sweater and the leather pants outlined every lush curve. He had a feeling about where she had gone dressed like that. Club Beyond.

It was a new addition to their town and catered mostly to visitors. He had been there twice and had not enjoyed the experience. It was too swanky and too damned loud. Both times he had been there, he could barely see his hands in front of him and he could swear he heard sounds of couples having sex right on the dance floor.

“As a matter of fact.” She deliberately planted an amused expression on her face, Her heart had flipped over inside her chest when she saw him standing on her porch. Going out had not been such a good idea after all and taking in the club had been worse. She had left after only a few minutes to find a quiet restaurant to have dinner.

“Do you somehow think that because we had sex last night, it gives you the right to just drop by and critique what I am wearing?”

Her careless words twisted his already battered heart and had him turning his back to her. Shoving his hands into the pockets of his faded work denims, he stared into the mesmerizing blaze.

What the hell was he doing? She was right. He had no business being here. She was free to do whatever the hell she pleased. Taking a deep breath and letting it out again, he turned around and was about to bid her goodnight when he caught a glimpse of something on her beautiful face.

She was not as immune as she was pretending to be. Her dark eyes were watching him, and her lips were parted. He couldsee the agitation on her as the material covering her breasts quivered.

The fire kindled inside him, and he deliberately walked towards her.

“You feel it too,” he growled, “you can pretend all you want, but you feel it too.” Clamping a hand at the back of her neck, he hauled her against him and crushed her lips.

*****

Her clothes lay in tatters on the bedroom floor.

“I have a feeling you did that deliberately,” she murmured, nodding to the heap next to the bed. Her heart was still racing from the tumult that had been happening just a few minutes ago.

They had been in so much haste to get to each other’s bare flesh, they had sent buttons flying. His shirt was minus all its buttons and was ripped at the shoulder. He was still wearing his socks. They both looked drunk and dazed.

“I will buy you more, not like those.” His hands were clamped around her waist as she laid sprawled on top of him. “I don’t like the idea of men gawking at you.”

“Is that so?” Lifting her head, she met his gaze and felt the spike in her blood pressure. His blue eyes had a lazy, sexiness about them that had taken the edge off, and his ash blonde hair was disheveled where she had used her fingers to make a mess of it.

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