Homeward Bound (14 page)

"Whatever works. I have a breakfast date that I don't intend to miss."

"What about your brother?"

"Let him find his own date."

She wrinkled her nose at him and exhaled an exasperated sigh.

"He's already on his way to the upper pasture to fix the fence before you have any other nocturnal guests in your strawberry patch."

"Oh. I guess I'd better go start cooking."

"Don't put yourself out on my account."

She placed her hand along the side of his face and kissed his lips. "Oh. I intend to. And I expect the same of you."

* * * *

Jake showered and changed in record speed. He wanted to make the most of his time alone with Kate. With planting season starting the following week, his free time would be more rationed than water in a drought. He had already wasted five days denying the inevitable. Lucky for him, Kate had a forgiving nature.

She slid a pan into the oven as he walked in the kitchen door. "That was fast. I'm not ready."

"I can wait." He started off with a lie.

"Yeah, right, Callahan." She slipped her hands inside the open front of his shirt. "Did you leave it unbuttoned because you were hot or impatient?"

"To spare the buttons."

"I'll be gentle with you." He leaned back against the counter and pulled her to him. As his hands traveled slowly down her back, she started to shake her head. "Not yet. I want to talk to you first."

"Now?"

"It's important." He could tell by her expression that she had something serious on her mind. "If we can't talk about this first, then we have no business doing it. I'm not asking for your sexual history, I just want to know if you've been careful."

He dropped his hands. Damn! She got right to the point, and that threw him. "Can I ask the same of you? Are you careful?"

Kate lowered her head. "Maybe that didn't come out right, but this isn't a conversation I have on a regular basis. And if you thought I did, you shouldn't be here."

"I have too much to lose to be careless. I wouldn't risk anything that might mean I wouldn't be around to see my daughter grow up."

"You're angry now," she noted softly. "I'm sorry, Jake, but as you said, there's too much to lose..."

Was he angry? He had no right. Should he ruin the morning for both of them because she had enough sense to ask what he should have? "You're right, Kate. I don't quite live up to my reputation around here, and I have donated blood twice since my last relationship so I know I’m okay." Did she have to look so pleased that his veins saw more action than the rest of his body in the past year? "Anything else?"

"Just a minor point. I didn't think we . . . well, not so soon . . . um." She chewed on her bottom lip. "I don't use any birth control. You see, I didn't need . . . What I mean to say ... I will take care of it . . . this week, but I didn't yet."

Jake exhaled a heavy sigh. Evidently Kate didn't have much more of a love life than he did. "I've got it covered, Kate."

She inched closer and pressed her hip against him. "You do?"

He laughed. "I meant it as a figure of speech. But we could make it literally."

"What are you waiting for?"

After the curve she threw him, he decided to turn the tables. "I'm not sure what you mean. You know us country boys are a little slow on the uptake."

"About as slow as lightning," Kate mused. "Perhaps you'd be interested in seeing my etchings? They're in the bedroom."

He followed her down the corridor and into her room. She motioned for him to sit while she carefully removed the battered old stuffed rabbit from the bed.

When she came back to him, she straddled her legs across his hips and rested on his lap. "Are you comfortable?"

"I believe you promised me some artwork."

Kate tilted her head up and placed small kisses along his neck, stopping at the corner of his mouth. She put one hand on his shoulder and ran it down the center of his torso. Her fingers twirled through the soft mat of hair on his chest, and she drew a small picture with her fingernails.

"What do you think of that etching, Jake?"

He sucked in a sharp breath. "A masterpiece of sensation."

His mouth lifted in a lazy grin and then kissed the lips that were right in front of him. Before he could take possession, Kate moved her head down and burned a line of kisses along the same route her hand had just taken.

Jake let out a deep groan. Her touch was exquisite. He ached for her. What she could do to him defied explanation. He tried to reach for her, but she pushed his hands away.

"Mind your manners, Jake. Ladies first," she purred sweetly in his ear.

The warm breath on his neck sent a chill along his spine. He closed his eyes, hoping to retain the very tentative hold he had on himself before he lost all control of the situation.

Who was he kidding, anyway? He had no control of this situation. Right now the lady was in the driver's seat and not ready to give up the wheel.

With the tip of her tongue, she found his nipple. His body jerked involuntarily. Kate gazed up and smiled. "Was that the 'on' button?"

"Kate. I can't take much more of this," he barely managed to choke out.

"A big, strong man like you? Sure you can." Kate continued her seductive exploration of his body. She reached for the snap on his jeans, yanking it opened with no trouble even though her hands were shaking. She slipped a tentative hand inside, her fingers tangling in the hair below his navel.

Jake gasped for breath. She raised her head, and her gorgeous eyes mirrored her thoughts. She knew what she was doing to him, and she enjoyed the power she had over him.

* * * *

"You're going to kill me, Kate."

His raspy voice was heavy with a passion that moved her. Even without his heartfelt words, Kate had no doubts about what she did to him. This time when he reached for her, she offered no resistance. He ran his hand along the outside of her T-shirt, and she quivered with anticipation.

He slipped his hand under the shirt and moved it out of the way. He explored every inch of her neck and shoulders, covering her in hot, urgent kisses. Her body swayed and grabbed his arms for support.

His mouth covered her breast, and she arched closer to him and threw her head back. His warm mouth teased her, sucking and releasing the taut peaks until she thought she would go mad. She needed more.

She pulled at her clothes with such frustration that Jake took her hands. Slowly, as if enjoying his revenge, he then removed the last of her clothing and lowered her onto the bed. His jeans followed, landing in a heap on the floor.

She reached for him. He knelt down next to her and parted her legs with one hand. He knew just where to touch her to make her respond. Her body writhed as he ran his fingers along the inside of her thigh.

He stroked her cheek with his other hand and pushed her hair away from her face. "Do you like that, Kate?"

Liquid fire burned deep inside her. She opened her mouth to answer, but all that came out was a muttered cry. He moved his finger higher, intimately caressing the velvety soft folds of skin. Her body shuddered from the pure pleasure only he could give to her.

"Jake, please." she begged, unable to stand the waiting another second.

Jake caught sight of her shining eyes begging for him to continue, and he could no longer wait himself. He had a burning need to feel her beneath him. Nothing before came close to what he felt with her.

Some last-minute flash of reality brought him back long enough to fumble for his jeans and extract his wallet. Desire and urgency conspired to make him a complete fool. He struggled with the foil packet until Kate let out a frustrated giggle.

"Let me," she said, deftly tearing it along the perforated line and handing it back to him.

"You're pretty good at that," he said, half-accusing, half-teasing.

"Only because chocolate comes in the same kind of foil pouch. If you ever suffered from PMS, you'd know what a talent that can be."

"Oh, Kate. You're priceless." Only she could turn an awkward situation into a cherishing memory.

In seconds he was back, lowering his body over her. Her body tensed slightly, but he was so attuned to her that he noticed it immediately. He paused just long enough to allow her to adjust her position.

"Are you all right now?"

Kate pushed her hips against his and murmured, "Perfect."

She wrapped her arms and legs tightly around his. As their bodies moved together, it was impossible to tell where one ended and the other began. They were one, joined in a white-hot passion that consumed them. She matched his every move as if they were made for each other.

On some basic level she had to trust him. It wasn't possible to lose herself in him so totally if she had any doubts. She gave him everything, with no holding back.

The air seemed to explode around them. Her body gave in to the release and she grabbed on to him while she was rocked with delightful spasms.

Jake closed his eyes. As her muscles closed repeatedly around him, it snapped the last thread of his control. He entered deeply one last time, filling her completely, and gave in to his own long-awaited release.

Perched above her on his elbows, Jake stared deeply into her eyes as both fought to get their breathing under control. He started to lower himself onto the bed, but Kate wrapped her arms around his waist to stop him from moving.

"Not yet."

He flipped over onto his back, pulling Kate on top of him. Long strands of her silky hair fell around his shoulders. She kissed him, then folded her arms on his chest\and laid her head down. "Are you hungry?"

He groaned. "Give me a minute to catch my breath, Kate."

* * * *

She laughed and rolled off of him. Muscles she didn't even know she had, ached. She inhaled deeply, wanting to make a memory of the smells around her.

A peculiar odor tickled her nostrils. "Oh no. The quiche!" she cried out, jumping from the bed.

She grabbed the first thing she could find in the heap of clothes and tossed Jake's shirt around her on her way to the kitchen.

So much for impressing the man with her culinary skills. The quiche Lorraine was harder than Jake's stubborn head. Another two minutes and she might have set off a smoke detector.

"How does peanut butter and jelly sound for breakfast?" she called out. She dumped the quiche, pan and all, into the sink.

Jake had pulled on his jeans and joined her in the kitchen. "Sounds fine."

She reached up to the top shelf of the cabinet for the jelly jar. As the shirt rode up along her thigh and rested on her hip, he saw the mark. He pushed back a fold of the flannel fabric and traced his finger along her long, jagged scar.
 
"How did you get this?"

She covered his hand and moved it away. "I don't like to talk about it."

"Why?"

"I just don't like discussing it with anybody."

"I'm just anybody, Kate?"

"Of course not," she denied. He had twisted her words until he could hang her with them. If she didn't explain, it would look as if she were only amusing herself with him. She didn't know how to tell him that she considered the subject off limits.

"Then tell me about it." His strong hands spanned her entire waist as he lifted her up to the counter. She squirmed around trying to cover her exposed thighs. After their morning of lovemaking, the gesture seemed childish, so she gave up and wrapped her legs around his hips.

"Now, what were we discussing?" she whispered in his ear, nipping playfully at the lobe to divert his attention.

"The scar, Kate. We were discussing why you don't want to tell me about the scar."

She blew a puff of air at the wisps of hair on her forehead. "Would you believe it's a spy initiation ritual?"

"Give me a straight answer or tell me to mind my own business. If all you want is a sexual relationship, I can deal with that."