She slid down his shaft, the lube making the penetration easy and smooth. Dane closed his eyes, still unmoving. He wouldn’t be here if he didn’t want to be. That was something Jenny determined the moment he walked in the door. He didn’t run away but demanded that he stay. She smiled, recalling him telling her that he would share her bed with her, sex or no sex. That wasn’t something guys did on a regular basis after a one-night stand.
“Look at me, Dane.” Her fingertips brushed against his nipples.
His eyes opened, green as emeralds, staring directly into hers. He didn’t bother responding. He sat up and smashed his mouth against hers, his arms immediately wrapping around her body. She started to move her hips, rocking against him with his cock situated inside her. Slow didn’t exist in her mind. She thought it proved how much two lovers cared for one another, by taking time to explore and satisfy each other’s needs. But she was wrong. Dane proved it each time they were together.
He held her upper body as she arched her back, taking one breast into his mouth as their hips rocked together. “Dane.”
She propped up her body with her hands while Dane continued to kiss her. He gripped her hips and started thrusting. Jenny dropped her head back. Her pussy hugged every inch of his cock, the slick movements creating the sweetest friction. His jaw hardened as he fought the need to come.
“Jen.”
She leaned back on her elbows and bent her knees. Dane’s cock hit the right spot within her, and fireworks exploded behind her eyelids. She cried out a whimper of pleasure as her pussy milked every drop of cum from his cock.
He pulled her up so they were eye to eye. He didn’t say anything before crashing his lips against hers. The sweet tango of his tongue sliding along hers left her breathless. How could a man that she’d known for one night make her feel different than all the other men in her past? With Dane, she truly didn’t feel like it was just about sex. Something changed in him. Something changed in them both.
“It’s nearly two o’clock.” Jenny moved to the side, grabbing the forgotten toy, and placed it on the nightstand. “We have a wedding to get to tomorrow.”
“A wedding your sister called off.” He pulled the rubber from his cock and glanced over his shoulder at her. “What’s the deal with that? Shawn was pissed.”
Jenny pursed her lips. It was déjà vu all over again. “I’m not fighting with you about this, but it was Shawn’s fault. How could he tell her, the night before their wedding, to pick up her life and move?”
“It’s not permanent.” He tossed the condom in the trash can. “Dad asked him to help start up the west coast company. After a couple of years, he’s free to move wherever he wants.”
Jenny crossed her arms over her chest. “I’m not arguing with you.”
He lay on his side, grinning. “No? You look like you’re ready to battle.”
She counted to ten. “How is it we go from wonderful orgasms to bickering within seconds? And it’s always about my sister.”
“You’re the one taking offense.”
“She’s my sister!” Jenny stood and grabbed a pair of pajamas from the dresser. “Of course I take offense to some guy talking bad about her.”
“Some guy?” He sat up. “I go from your lover to ‘some guy’ in two seconds?”
She pulled on a black tank top with “Down and Dirty” written in pink script across her chest. “My
lover
wouldn’t constantly put down my sister.” She thrust her legs into the matching pink shorts and pulled them over her hips. “Not if he really cared about me like you claim.”
Who was she kidding? Dane wanted sex with her and knew all the right things to say to make her think it was more. She should have kicked him out on his ass when she had the chance, before she gave in and slept with him again. Now she was simply stuck. He wasn’t about to budge, and she didn’t have the energy to make him.
“Is that really what you’re pissed at me about? That I don’t like Shelly? Come on, Jen. You knew that long before my dick ever sank into that hot pussy of yours. Why is it such a shock to you now?”
She flipped off the light and crawled in bed beside him. “Family is important to me, Dane. It’s all I have, and if you can’t accept that, then I was a damn fool for believing you were ‘falling’ for me.”
Dane shifted beside her, pulling the comforter out from beneath him, and situating it around them. “You claim you want Shelly out of your house. She has the perfect opportunity to move across the country and be completely out of your hair. Yet you get all pissed off at me, as if it is my fault.”
“I want Shelly out of my house not my life.”
“I don’t think that’s true. You’ve lived together since you were of legal age, and I think you’re scared to let her go. Shelly’s getting married to a decent guy, and that rattles you because all your boyfriends dumped you. She’s made a successful living selling sex toys, and has fun with it, while you have a nine-to-five, boring job at the bank. Her life is moving forward to better things, and you’re scared you’ll never go anywhere. You’re afraid of finally being on your own.”
Tears gathered in her eyes as she stared into the darkness. This was the kind of man she knew. The one who says all the right things, makes a woman fall helplessly in love with them, and then shoves their face into the ground. She was stupid to think Dane was different. Stupid to allow him to be here with her. Jenny rolled away from him, tucking her pillow against her face as she cried silently.
“You don’t have to be, you know,” he continued, his voice soft. “Scared, that is. I want to be in your life.” His fingers brushed against her arm. “I want to be the one who makes all your fears go away.”
She sniffled. “How can you propose a relationship, when all we do is have sex and fight? You put my family down. You put me down…”
Dane moved closer, his chest brushing against her back. His arm came around her, cradling her body against his. “I’m not putting you down. But I’m not going to sugarcoat things for you, either. Are you really happy, living vicariously through your sister?”
“I’m not.” Tears leaked out the corners of her eyes.
“Shelly is the only one who hasn’t left you, and that is why you put up with her. She goes out and lives her life, while you armor yourself up at home, hating men and waiting to hear about the latest adventure from your sister.” He pressed a kiss to her shoulder.
“It’s not true. I have a life.”
“If that is so, then why are you crying?”
Jenny wiped at her eyes and pulled away from him. “I never asked for your opinion.”
“No. But I gave it to you. Stop fighting me, Jen. I’m not the bad guy, and I’m not going anywhere.”
She flipped on the lamp beside the bed and faced him. “I’m not jealous of my sister. I don’t appreciate your saying stuff that you know I want to hear and then cutting me down with your next breath. I was stupid to believe you were different. I was stupid to think that maybe, just maybe, this guy could be the one. Hell, I was pretty damn foolish to let you get to me, and I have to deal with that now. But let’s get one thing straight. I won’t sit back and let you make claims about me based on nothing.”
Dane lay back against his pillow, staring at her with sparkling green eyes. “Baby, I stand by everything I said. I want you in my life. I want you in my arms. I want you in my bed. I want to make you scream your throat raw with pleasure. I want to take your fears away and be there to comfort you when you need it. I want it all, Jenny. I’m not cutting you down. I’m merely pointing out what I observed. If what I say is not true, then please inform me why you get so pissed off with me after sex. Tell me why you get pissed off when we talk about your sister. I’ve got nothing but time, and I want some answers.”
“You make me furious because of
this
. You’re arrogant. I admit to using you in the beginning, but when you came here and said those things, I actually wanted to believe it could possibly be more. I wanted to trust what you said was true. That we wouldn’t always be this way, that we could actually have a decent conversation and not argue about differences of opinions all the time.” She swiped at her eyes. “But I guess I was wrong to believe all that. You aren’t different. You’re a jerk like the rest of the men in the world.”
Dane sat up and pulled Jenny into his arms. She fought him initially but stopped when she realized she wouldn’t win. His arms tightened around her. He kissed her forehead and simply held her. His warmth surrounded her, comforted her unexpectedly. He kissed her cheek. “We can finish talking about this in the morning. Both of us are so tired we don’t know what we’re saying. I promise we’ll fix this.”
He let her go long enough to flip off the lamp. He pulled her back into his embrace, and she settled against him, resting her head on his chest. Maybe she was scared. She allowed herself to relax, completely mesmerized by the movements of his fingers against her back.
Everything would work out. It had to. As dreamless bliss overtook her, Dane breathed a sigh of relief and plotted his next move.
* * * *
Jenny writhed in sleep beside him, waking Dane from his two peaceful hours of slumber. His eyes felt like they’d been glued shut. He yawned and opened them to the bright light of morning, glancing over at Jenny’s alarm clock.
6:30.
The last thing he wanted to do was untangle his numb arm from her body, but it was inevitable. He lifted her shoulders slightly and removed his arm, immediately feeling as if a thousand needles were repeatedly pricking his skin. All he could do was smile.
After some feeling came back, he slipped the covers aside. The cold chill in the room made him shiver as he stood, looking around for his boxers.
“Where are you going?” Jenny rolled to her stomach, stuffing her pillow beneath her chin.
“Merry Christmas, baby.” He paused to kiss her before returning to his search. “I’m going to make some phone calls. Go back to sleep.” He found his boxers and pulled them on.
“Who are you calling?”
“My dad and Shawn.” He came to her and bent to kiss her forehead. “I’m solving my brother’s problems with your sister and hopefully getting them to walk down the aisle.”
“What are you doing?” She pushed up from her spot.
“I’m offering to go to the west coast instead. Shawn and Shelly can stay here, and everyone will be happy.”
“You’re offering to leave?” Was that sadness in her voice?
“It’s temporary.” He leaned down to kiss her. “Of course, you could always come with me. We could live out our own adventures together.”
She didn’t respond. Jenny sat up and brushed her hair from her face. She was so beautiful in her sleep-rumpled state. No makeup. Her hair a complete mess.
“Look, I need to call my dad so we can get this wedding rolling.” He smiled, unable to read her expression.
“You would do that for your brother? Pack up and leave so he wouldn’t have to?”
Dane sat on the side of the bed. “You know I would. I value family, too, Jen. Shawn is my only brother, and he’s bailed me out of binds before. It’s what we do.”
She blinked. Dane wasn’t sure what went through her mind. Last night his plan seemed like the perfect answer. Both he and Shawn grew up in the family business. It wasn’t something he preferred, but it would work out. It was only a couple of years.
“I don’t know what to think about you.” She bit her bottom lip. “You’re the biggest jerk one minute and the sweetest guy I’ve ever met the next.”
How’s that for honesty.
Dane smirked. “We don’t have to leave until nine. Why don’t you sleep a bit more?”
“I would if I could. I’m up now.” She slid her legs to the side of the bed. “Call your dad and Shawn.”
He touched her bare thigh, a warm contrast to the cool air around them. “Do you have any idea where my pants are?”
She chuckled. “No clue. You came to bed naked.”
He kissed her cheek. “True.” He stood and began looking for his pants.
“Dane?”
“Yeah?” He bent down and snagged his jeans from beneath the bed.
“Were you serious about my going with you?”
“Yeah, babe. I think it’d be fun. Dad’s company is around Napa Valley, so vineyards are all around. If we play our cards right, maybe we could get free wine.” He wiggled his eyebrows. “Could you handle living all the time with the biggest jerk and the sweetest guy rolled into one?”
She actually smiled. “I don’t know. It’s a lot to think about.”
“So you are thinking about it?” He pulled on his jeans. “You’re considering coming to California with me?”
“Call your dad, Dane. It’s not a done deal, yet.” She came to him and wrapped her arms around his waist. Her breasts brushed against his chest, her nipples stiff beneath her cotton shirt. She pressed her lips against his neck. “I’m still mad at you for all the stuff you said to me last night.”
“Yeah, well, I love you, and it doesn’t matter.” He cupped her cheeks and leaned down. “None of the small stuff matters, Jenny.”
Jenny pursed her lips. “We have a wedding to fix. I’m going to call Mom and see if there’s anything I can do.”
She didn’t say it back. Dane’s heart sank to the pit of his stomach, even though he’d suspected it. He’d screwed up royally by opening his big, fat mouth. Now he’d devised the perfect plan to make his brother happy, one that would make his life total hell if Jenny didn’t go with him.
He grabbed his cell from the living-room floor and scrolled through the numbers to find his dad’s. His father picked up on the second ring. “Hey, Dad.”
“Dane? Why on earth are you calling me at this hour? Are you drunk?”
He glanced at the clock on the wall. “No. Sorry. Shelly called off the wedding because she didn’t want to move to California. I’ve been thinking and came up with a solution. I’ll go to the west coast instead. Shawn can stay here with Shelly and live out their happily ever after.”
“Have you talked to your brother about this?”
“No. I wanted to make sure it was okay with you first.” Dane watched as Jenny came down the hall, phone to her ear, chatting to Shelly about the wedding.
“It’s fine with me if that’s what you really want to do. But if Shawn is having problems with Shelly, I doubt it has anything to do with moving. Maybe you should let them work it out on their own.”