Five Alarm Lust (28 page)

Gillian sobbed and shook her head. “I do believe you.”

“Then tell me what the hell is going on. Be honest with me for fuck’s sake. I’m not your ex, nor am I your mother.”

Paling, Gillian stared at him, her heart in her throat. With a sickening sensation, she realized she’d projected her fear of them onto him. Dealing with the lawyers, the trial, and her mother, coupled with the news from the doctor, and she’d cracked, broken like a glass doll without anyone to catch her. Only there was: Jack would catch her because he loved her.

“Oh God.” She held a hand to her lips and rocked back and forth. “No, no, I didn’t. Please, I’m sorry. I’m sorry.”

“Stop apologizing for everything. Just talk to me, baby. Please.”

“How can I explain?”

“Trust me.” Jack pleaded as he pulled her into his arms. “Just let go. No matter what, I’m gonna catch you. I won’t let you fall.”

“You deserve someone whole, someone who can give you things I can’t.”

“Like what?” Rocking back and forth, Jack held her close.

“A future.”

“We’ll have one. I love you, and I know you love me, Gillian.”

Wrapped in the warmth of his arms, Gillian could feel the doubt ease, the weight slip from her shoulders. “She said I can’t have babies.” She cringed at the words, waiting for the explosion, the fury to lash at her like a whip.

“And?” Jack tensed against her.

“Isn’t that enough?”

Jack pressed a kiss to her head and then pushed her away. “Beyond your inability to have a baby, what else happened? Did you talk to your mother already? Did she say something to upset you? Because I think you need to. I’ll be right there with you, but I think you need to face her. You’re not the weakling you think you are. If you were, you’d have given in a long time ago.”

“No, but isn’t the lack of children—”

“So you can’t have a baby. Yes, it hurts. I’d like to see you grow round with our child, but it’s not the end all. We can always adopt. As long as I have you, I’ve got more than I ever thought possible.”

His fingers trailed down her body, tracing a path as familiar to her as his eye color. She shivered with arousal as he painted her scars, tender, loving, the caress reaching deep into her soul.

“Maybe you’re right.” Gillian frowned. “Maybe I’ve gotten so used to acting spineless that I came to think of myself as such. I’ve grown. I’m not the mouse I was.”

“No you’re not.”

“You’ll be there?”

“Right next to you if you want me.”

Inhaling, she smiled, his promise enough to ease the worry, the stress. “I think I need to see her. I want you with me, but I think I need to talk to her alone, just her and I. I want to do this my way. It’s best that way.”

Pain flashed through his eyes, but he nodded. “All right.”

“I need to show her I’m not the coward she thinks I am. Can you understand that, Jack? I need you, but I need to do this too.”

Jack nodded with a slight smile. “Yeah, I get it.”

“I will need a ride if you’re not busy.” Gillian smoothed his shirt down his chest. “Please.”

“You’ve got it. When do you want to go?”

“Now. Get it out of the way and then I’m free.”

Jack nodded, grabbing his leather jacket. “Come on, I’ll take you. Then we can go for dinner.”

“Sounds good.” Gillian slid her feet into her shoes before she followed him out the door, his fingers locked with hers. Silence filled the cab as they headed for the jail, her mind already racing ahead to the questions she needed and wanted answered. Would her mother tell her the truth or lie?

“I’m right here.” Jack squeezed her hand as they got out of the cab. She shuddered when he tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and wrapped her in an embrace before striding toward the doors.

Gillian left Jack in the foyer and stepped through the doors into the small, enclosed little room. Barbara sat at a small table, her fashionable clothing gone, her face scrubbed of all traces of makeup. A baggy orange jumpsuit covered her body.

“You asked to see me?” Gillian settled in the small chair across from her.

“My lawyer figured we should talk.”

“What about?” Cold, hard, the seat of her chair bit into her legs, into her ass. Still it wasn’t as cold as her mother’s penetrating stare. “We’ve nothing to discuss. You stole from me, more than just money.”

“Does it matter? Such an ungrateful little snot. Always so certain you were above me.” Barbara leaned forward. “But you’re not, are you? Where’s your fireman now, Gillian Rebecca? Probably in some hot little number’s bed getting fucked like he should be. What man wants you? He was too good for you and you knew it. Mike may be out of the picture, but you’ll never get another one stupid enough to fall for you.”

“Tell me why?” Gillian ignored her words and focused on the wall behind Barbara’s head. She wouldn’t be broken in half by her mother’s cruelty. “Why would you do it? Did it give you a good feeling to steal from me, from your own flesh and blood?”

“You were an accident.” Barbara sniffed and sat back. “One if I’d been able to, I’d have fixed, before anyone knew about it. Don’t know why your father had to stay home that summer; should have just gone off like he normally did on his business trips.”

“Pity that. How like you to just brush it off like it was nothing. Still, doesn’t answer the question. I think you owe me that much, Mother, don’t you? I mean, really, did you think you’d just walk in and bam, I’d forgive and forget.”

“What was the question again?”

“You care for nothing but yourself. No wonder you and Mike get along so well. Both of you are useless.”

“Not that useless. Just ask lover-boy. He enjoyed what I have to offer far more than you ever would. Right in your hospital room.”

“Liar.” Her voice dropped dangerously. “Jack wouldn’t touch you with a ten-foot pole. He loves me.”

“Loves you? Ha.” Barbara shrugged. “Whatever. Are we done? I have things to do.”

“Yeah, we’re done.” Gillian rose to her feet and turned. “Oh, before I forget, Mother.” She paused, her hand on the door. “I took my house off the market. You’re just going to have to figure some other way to pay your lawyer. We’re done. As far as I’m concerned they could lock you away in some dank little hole and I’d just continue living my life.”

“That’s my house! You can’t touch it.” Leaping to her feet, Barbara glared at Gillian.

“No. It isn’t. Like your car, your clothes, your personal effects, it all belongs to me, bought with my money.”

“That was my money. I earned it. You cost me more than you were worth, you snot nose whore! I was going to send you off to a private school, far away from me, but I couldn’t. Your father fixed that. Still, it was mine. It belonged to me. My only regret is Mike didn’t finish the job when he had the chance years ago.”

Flinching at her mother’s irate words, Gillian straightened and offered a grateful smile to the guard who opened the door. “Thank you.”

“It’s mine! Do you hear me?” Barbara’s voice filled the waiting room before the door clicked shut.

“You know she’s full of shit, right?” Jack lounged against the wall, his face a dark mask. “Don’t let her try and convince you otherwise. You up for dinner?”

“Yes.” Gillian glanced behind her before following him from the room. There was no changing the past, but it didn’t mean she had to let it control her. She slipped her hand into his, smiling at him as they left the jail.

* * * *

“I couldn’t eat another bite.” Gillian pushed her plate away and leaned back. “I say it’s a tossup between Don’s and here.”

“Oh that’s easy.” Jack leaned over, his shoulder brushing hers as his hand slid under the tablecloth along her thigh. “Here.”

Giggling, she bent her head to his. “Oh, and why is that?”

“’Cause the best dessert is at this table.” Jack pressed a kiss to her neck. “Hidden by denim and lace.” She gasped as he palmed her crotch, the heel of his hand pressing against her clit. Already she could feel herself growing wet.

Heavy, full, her breasts pressed against the slinky lace of her bra. Each breath pulled on the material, rasping over her nipples until they’d hardened into aching peaks. Catching his eye, she licked her top lip, a smile tugging on one side of her mouth. “Mm, delicious.”

“Yeah.” Jack switched hands, one going around her shoulders to dangle against the top of her right breast. With each subtle move of his body, his fingertips brushed against her, teasing until she was panting. The rasp of the zipper on her jeans drew a gasp. Grabbing his hand, she caught his smirk.

“Get the check,” she whispered into his ear, her palm cupping his cock. Rolling her palm, she caught the strangled groan that escaped him and giggled. “Turnabout is fair play and tonight it’s mine.”

Jack nodded and eased away, a pained look crossing his face as his jeans brushed against his shaft. He slid from the booth and leaned toward her. “And just what do you have in mind, my dearest?”

“You’ll just have to wait and see.” Gillian giggled as he slipped away in the semi-darkness to take care of the bill. She adjusted her zipper, gathered her coat, and slid across the bench. Straightening, she turned, almost bumping into a tall, statuesque blonde.

“Excuse me.”

“Don’t think I don’t know what you’re doing.” The blonde snarled and her eyes narrowed. Scarlet-tipped nails tapped an ugly beat on her upper arm.

“Pardon me?” Gillian eyed the woman before her with care. It wasn’t the first time the woman had popped up, and she wasn’t in the mood to listen to her venomous ranting.

“You think he wants you? Acting all coy and schmoozy. Makes me sick. Soon as he’s done with you he’ll be back with—”

“Shelli, what a surprise.” Jack’s hard voice drew the blonde’s attention.

“Darlin’, I was just admiring your friend’s coat.” Shelli batted her lashes at him. She curled her fingers through his arm, affecting a perfect pout. “I haven’t heard from you in a while. Is everything okay?”

“Everything’s perfect.” Jack disentangled his arm and smiled as he tugged Gillian toward him. “I take it you met Gillian?”

“Uh, not really. We hadn’t introduced ourselves.”

“Let me do the honors.” Gillian shivered as Jack’s hand slid down her side to rest on her hip, his fingers dangerously close to her zipper. “Shelli, this is my soon-to-be fiancée, Gillian Hilliard. Gillian, this is Shelli.”

Gillian’s heart stuttered. She shot a quick assessing glance at his face, her eyes wide, hope clawing at her chest. The love in his eyes fanned the flames and she snuggled into him.

“Fiancée?” Shelli’s face fell, any hint of warmth vanishing into thin air.

“Yes. You’ll understand we’re waiting to do a big reveal. We want to have some time to just enjoy each other before we have to spend time with others.” Gillian inched closer to Jack, her hand reaching over to caress his chest as she smiled. “You won’t tell, will you?”

“Uh, no, congratulations.” Shelli shot her a dark look before vanishing into the crowded restaurant.

“Wow, she’s…”

“In the past.” Jack nipped at her ear. “Now, where were we?”

“I believe we were getting ready to head for home.” Gillian stared through the crowd in the direction Shelli had gone. Like shards of glass falling from a window pane, the faint hints of doubt and fear fell away. Whether he knew it or not, Jack had erased the fears she’d harbored up until now.

With his hand on her hip, they hurried out the door toward his truck. Jack stopped at the truck door and pressed her back against the cool steel. Fingers tangled in her hair, he leaned forward, his lips scant inches away from her.

“You going to kiss me or just stare at me?” Gillian flicked her tongue out to lick at his lips. She wallowed in the shudder that raced over him and did it again.

Heat flooded her body as he slid his thigh between her legs, pressing against her clit. Muscles flexed and moved, arousal built within her body. Her fingers locked into his belt loops she pulled, moaning in dismay when he moved, inserting inches between them. She licked her lip and arched, her hips rolling against his leg.

“God you make me hot.” The words slipped free of her control. A tiny flare of embarrassment was washed away by his low growl. Unsteady fingers slid down her temple, pausing at her lips. She opened her lips, her tongue wrapping around his finger, guiding the digit into her mouth. Eyes locked together, she sucked slowly, her tongue laving his finger again and again.

Lust darkened his gaze. She whimpered when he pulled his hand free. His hot breath fanned over her face, a physical touch that burned deeper. Her head dropped back against the doorframe, eyes drifting to half-mast as his hand slid down her body. Playing with her breast, he pinched the nipple beneath her shirt to hardness before his thumb drew circles.

Each swipe sent a bolt of sensation to her throbbing clit. Needing friction, wanting more, she ground her hips forward, rubbing against his leg. “Home. We, uh, need to get home.” Gasping, pleading, she wiggled against him.

Her body on fire, she whined when he pulled away, jerked open the door, and lifted her into the seat. “Here, drive.”

Keys in a shaky hand, she started the truck as he slid across the seat next to her. She bit her lip as the truck rolled out of the parking spot toward the road. Shooting him a shocked glance as she felt him unzip her jeans, she opened her mouth to protest.

“Uh-huh, just drive,” Jack whispered in her ear. “I want you on the edge. I’m gonna keep you there until we get home. Slow and easy now.”

“This isn’t safe.” Gillian rocked into his caress as his fingers inched beneath the confines of denim, her pussy a quivering bundle of nerves and flesh.

“Fuck safe,” Jack hissed. “Think hot instead.”

Jack’s fingers slipped beneath the lace of her panties, stroking the swollen flesh. Gillian felt her face heat at his low, crude description of what he felt. “Damn you’re wet and hot.”

Want bled into need into a careless, reckless insatiable desire, and she put more pressure on the gas. Whipping into his drive, the truck had barely stopped rocking before she was turning to him.

“My turn.”

Gillian straddled Jack and wrapped her arms around his neck. Her lips hovered inches above his, just close enough to feel his breath. Her fingers threaded through his hair, tangling in the dark strands as she pulled his head back. His groan of pleasure and pain shot right through her.