Blaine, Destiny - Domination Plantation [Southern Plantation 1] (Siren Publishing Ménage and More) (7 page)

“Is someone out here?” Jules shouted. “Hello?”

“It’s me,” she replied, groaning.
Great, just terrific
. Not only did she look positively stupid hunched down on the ground with her shins bleeding and her ankle swelling by the second, but to add insult to injury, Jules had to find her.

“Where are you? I can’t see you.”

She peered over the tall weeds and, thanks to the moonlight, saw the large form moving closer. “I’m here,” she said, waving her arm. “I took off for a run and didn’t pay attention to where I was going. I stepped in a hole and turned my foot. I think I sprained my ankle.”

A few seconds later, Jules towered over her. She looked up and found a very amused cowboy. “If you wanted my attention, you didn’t have to get it this way, you know. You could’ve done a little better for yourself if you’d just made your move in the truck earlier. You might have saved yourself an ACE bandage and an ice pack, too.”

“You think you’re funny. Don’t ’cha?”

“I try, darlin’. How bad are you hurt?”

She swallowed. “Bad enough to know I can’t walk or run out of here, but it isn’t broken. Just sprained.”

He slid out of his saddle and knelt next to her. “Let me see you.” He pulled a cigarette lighter from his pocket and shone the light on her ankle and then her knees. “When you fall, you like bruises and scrapes, something to remember the incident by, huh?”

“Oh yes. I typically go for broken bones, too.”

“Do ya now?”

“Absolutely,” she replied, wincing when he tried to move her foot in a clockwise fashion. “Lucky for me, I could quickly pull myself together on the chance you might ride out here and save me.”

“Save you?”

“From myself, of course,” she said, drawing her knees against her chest.

Jules flicked the lighter again. This time, he held the flame close to her face. “Do you need someone to save you, Jenna?”

He studied her closely. He wore a serious expression as he searched her eyes. She wanted to tell him yes. She longed to let him know how desperately she needed someone, anyone—him—to protect her. Her motto was quickly slipping out of reach.

The days of taunting the opposite sex were slowly coming to an end. She found it increasingly difficult to tease Jules when all she wanted to do was throw herself into his arms.

“I’m glad you came along,” she admitted, placing her palms against the ground and shoving her weight forward in an attempt to stand.

Jules placed his hand on her shoulder. “Wait there a second. Let me check you out.”

“I’m fine. The only thing hurt here is my ego. I’m really not a klutz. I use good judgment most of the time. This was the exception. I took off in the middle of the night acting like a jealous woman.”

“What are you talking about?” he asked, his eyes dancing with knowledge.

“It’s true,” she admitted. “Serena fell asleep on the couch. She ate most of the pizza and she typically sleeps all night when she…”

“I don’t want to talk about my niece,” Jules interrupted her. “Tell me about this woman and her jealousy.”

“You mean me?”

“Who else would I be talking about, Jenna?” he asked. “You’re more of a woman than any woman I’ve ever met before.”

“You won’t think so now.”

“Why not? Because you’re jealous?”

Her heart pounded faster and faster. She really didn’t know how to come on to a man without teasing like crazy and then running away. She always fled. She never found a man worthy of an outright pursuit. Until now.

“I heard you in the barn with Brogan. Some woman named Marcy brought you another woman for a treat.”

Jules sat down beside her. “You hear a lot of things you shouldn’t.”

“I’m like Serena. I get around.”

“Oh you do?”

“Not like that,” she said, feeling her face heat.

“Were you really jealous?” he asked, cupping her neck and forcing her to look him in the eyes.

“Terribly.”

“Good,” he said, chuckling. “Now, can I tell you why I didn’t take Marcy up on her offer?”

She swallowed hard. Was she ready for this? She reluctantly nodded. “Tell me.”

Jules framed her face. He brushed his lips against hers in a featherlike kiss that wasn’t intrusive, but was oh so sweet. “I’m interested in someone else.”

“I see,” she whispered, shivering. “Well, that explains things then.”

“Good,” he said, tilting his head from side to side as he watched her.

They were in a large, open field, and if she didn’t lure him away from there, they would do something she’d later regret. She didn’t want to have sex in the middle of a cattle field. She wanted Jules to carry her off to a large bed and make love to her. First times and field romps didn’t tempt her in the least.

Jules pushed his fingers through her hair. He looked at her like he might take her right there. He must’ve been waiting for her to lead him astray.

“Can I kiss you? I mean, really kiss you?” he asked.

The next breath she took was so tortured, so ragged, so completely wasted, because she gasped and then she blurted out a mind-boggling, “No.”

Chapter Four

“I want her out of here,” Jules told Brogan without blinking an eye.

Serena watched the show unfold while trying to pretend she wasn’t listening.

“Why the sudden urgency?” Brogan asked, taunting his brother.

“I don’t need a reason. I just want her gone. We’re not providing room and board for unruly women. Serena can stay. She’s family. I love her. Jenna is a different story.”

“Uh-huh, I imagine so,” Brogan said. He turned to Serena and mouthed, “Unruly? Really?”

She shrugged. “He’s mad because he asked Jenna if he could kiss her and she said, ‘no.’ What’s wrong, Uncle Jules, haven’t you ever heard the word before? I can spell it for you if you like, even define it, if you need a quote from the dictionary. She didn’t mean to hurt your feelings, by the way.”

“So Jenna declined the kissing offer, did she?” Brogan asked, slapping Jules on the back while concentrating on Serena, probably awaiting more details.

She’d give them. She loved the floor, and her uncles expected her to take center stage anyway. “Yup, I think that’s about the way it went down. Isn’t it, Jules?”

“No, young lady, it is not,” Jules growled.

“Where is Jenna, by the way?” Brogan asked.

Serena stretched out on the couch and threw her legs over the back of the leather sofa. She retrieved a small fingernail file from her front pocket and started filing. “She sprained her ankle, you know—oh wait, you probably didn’t hear since you were otherwise engaged last night, but Jules knew—anyhow, she’s in your Jacuzzi with the jets on her ankle.”

Her uncles didn’t contribute anything further to the conversation. After a moment of silence, Serena glanced up and said, “And she’s bathing alone. Got it?”

Jules threw his arm in the air. “See? They’re in on this whole thing together. They think it’s a game of some sort. Jenna can’t go back to Heath and Fiona’s right now, and that’s fine, but by damn she can go stay with Melissa and Pete.”

Brogan stretched. “I have a better idea.”

Serena wrapped her arms under her legs and shifted upright. “What?”

“I can’t wait to hear this,” Jules muttered.

“We’ll send her to stay with Marcy. She’d love to have the company.”

Jules clenched his teeth, squinted his eyes, and stormed out.

“He likes her,” Brogan said.

“Yeah, I’d say his days of being a bachelor are coming to a rapid end, what do you think?”

“You’re right,” Brogan agreed, laughing. “I’ve never seen him act this way before.”

“Well then, let’s go celebrate. I need some nail polish. Will you take me to the drugstore?”

“Sure, sweetie.” Brogan said, grabbing his keys. “I think Jules needs a favor.”

“They both need several.” Serena grabbed her purse. Jenna owed her big-time for this. And Jules might as well thank her on the way out.

* * * *

Jenna pressed the side of her foot against the jetting water. Her ankle was blue and significantly swollen. She pushed her leg right next to the dynamic hot force and leaned back, trying to relax.

She must’ve been crazy. Maybe when she’d taken a jogger’s tumble, she’d knocked loose a few screws in her head. She couldn’t believe she’d said no when Jules asked to kiss her.

A breathless smooch was all she’d thought about since their alone time by the pool then when he asked to kiss her, like a gentleman might, she told him no! How could she have been so stupid!

She wouldn’t blame him if he never spoke to her again. After she’d first denied him, he’d backed away with clenched fists and stared at her blankly. She hadn’t known what to make of the situation.

When he’d squatted next to her again, she’d thought he might take the kiss anyway. Instead, he swept her into his arms and placed her in the saddle. Then, he led her back to the house, like a knight escorting a princess to safety.

She recalled the important aspects. They’d traded heated glances. A word rarely exchanged between them. Maybe Jules wasn’t much of a talker after someone put him in his place, but he sure knew how to make a woman feel like she’d missed the grand prize, the ultimate finale.

“I’m falling for you.”

She jerked to attention. Her hands and feet plopped into the water, provoking a sudden splash. “Oh my God, get out of here, Jules!” She sank underneath the bubbles. She swallowed a few times, noting the intense look of male determination creeping across his face.

“Oh come on, Jenna. What’s with the modesty?” he asked, securing the bathroom door behind him.

“I just heard Brogan and Serena leave. You can’t be in here.”

She blinked.
He’s falling for me?
Had she heard him correctly?

He unbuttoned his shirt. His eyes fixated on hers.

“No, you don’t understand. I mean, you can’t be here with me. Not like this. Don’t you know?”

“I understand what I need to know. The rest doesn’t matter. I still want you.”

“You can’t have me,” Jenna wailed. “Serena would—”

“Understand. Do you think she left with Brogan by accident? She told me you were up here soaking before they headed out for nail polish.”

Serena traveled with every acrylic color salons had ever sold. She could stock a nail salon.

“I still need you to go, Jules.”

“You aren’t attracted to me?” he asked, dropping his shirt to the floor.

“It’s not about whether or not there’s chemistry between us.”

“Then what is it?”

Jenna sat straighter, erect enough to expose some cleavage as her breasts rose and fell above the layers of bubble bath foam. “I’m not like those women who frequent your parties.”

“What do you know about those gals, or our get-togethers?”

“Oh come on, Jules. Give me some credit. Serena and I have talked. Fiona warned me, too. If I had any doubts, they were put to rest after Miss What’s-her-face brought you a midnight snack in the suggestive form of boobs and bottoms.”

Jules laughed, sat next to the tub, and dipped his hand in the water. He only skimmed his fingers over the top, but he sure looked sexy dragging his hand through a trail of bubbles. God help her. She was incredibly infatuated with one hell of a man.

“I wasn’t hungry for anything Marcy Mahoney had to offer. Trust me, if I’m going to nibble”—his arm disappeared and he wrapped his hand around her calf—“I’ll start right here with you.”

Pulling her lower leg out of the water, he kissed her ankle. The bubbles glistened on his lips, forming a soft white mustache under his nose. His kiss sent several sensations down her spine. Her nipples spiked and her pussy clenched.

She watched in awe as he massaged her sprained ankle. She flinched a few times as he tenderly rubbed the swollen area, but she began to appreciate the effort and the pain diminished under his careful caresses.

“Let me join you,” he whispered. “Let me show you how much I want you.”

“Jules, we just met.”

“Darlin’, we must’ve known one another in a past life. The feelings I get when we’re together are too strong. I can’t fight ’em. Can you?”

Not unless he backed the hell off and he wasn’t giving the impression that he might. “Thank you for massaging my ankle. It feels good as new.” She rotated it once for show.

Jules, probably suspecting she was ready to dismiss him, changed his approach. His arm sank deeper into the water and he inched forward. She didn’t lock gazes with him, to do so now would only provoke him. Instead, she stared at the water, wondering where he might touch her when his hand met her flesh again.

His open palm landed against her leg, right above her knee, and he slowly lifted his gaze. When she looked into his eyes, it was a mistake. Her eyes must’ve invited him.

His fingers trailed up her inner thigh and she gasped when she felt his fingers right above her pussy. He wiggled three digits near her folds, just enough to let her know where he lingered, what he planned to explore.