Granting Wishes (4 page)

“Shit, shit, shit!”

Lilah started to laugh, thinking his was a pla
yful exclamation, but it wasn’t. He lost it.

“Damn it, Lilah. That wasn’t supposed to happen between us.”

She looked crestfallen. He didn’t mean to hurt her feelings or ruin the moment. But he hadn’t expected to take her virginity either. Especially not rough and wild to the point she was probably going to be sore for a few days.

He stroked his fingers through her hair and kissed her before rolling off her and dragging her tight to his side. When she tried to pull away, he refused to let her go. Not with her thinking whatever she was thinking that had her brow furrowed.

“Let me go,” her voice cracked.

“I’m sorry, darlin’. I didn’t mean that the way it sounded,” and boy did he ever feel like the biggest ass in the world. He hurt the one person that had broken through his shell and made him want to love again.

Great. Good job, jackass.

She lifted her head and propped
it up on her elbow, looking at him with those big brown eyes that were fringed in long, feathery lashes. Her soft, ebony curls draped over her shoulders and tickled his bronzed chest.

“Then what did you mean?”

Good question
, he thought to himself.

“I meant, if I had known you were, you know…”

“A virgin? You wouldn’t have made love to me. In fact, you probably never would’ve even kissed me.”

“Yeah, you’re probably right,” he admitted. “But that’s only because you deserve better than me, darlin’. I’m just a grumpy cowboy that happens to be a single dad with a complex when it comes to women and relationships. I’m no good at ‘em, and I sure don’t want to break your heart.”

“You let me worry about my heart and about what’s good for me. You’re an amazing daddy and I love Roxy, you know that.”

When she kissed his chest and rubbed her hand over his skin as she slipped her arm around his waist
, he felt his resistance crumbling. Could he do this? Could he learn to trust and depend on her?

“Besides, hurting you is the last thing I want to do, and I don’t mind you being grumpy now and then.”

It felt so right having her by his side. Her slow and tender strokes soothed him in a way he’d never felt before. Never in his life had he wanted so badly to believe in someone, in something that could last a lifetime. His eyes drooped shut and a low, rumbling growl slipped out when she started dragging her nails back and forth across his stomach. She was going to kill him. Slowly. And right now, he wanted her to. With his whole heart he wanted to let go and love this woman that had been driving him crazy since the first time she walked onto his ranch and stole his breath away.

He pulled her closer, tucking her head under his chin and kissing her forehead. A contented sigh came from her lips as they curved into a soft smile and she nuzzled her head against his chest. He reached down and caressed the swell of her hip, hooking his hand in the crook of her knee and pulling it up to rest over his thighs. Her sweet curves seemed to curl into him even more and he sighed in pleasure. This was how it was supposed to be. The kind of caring, intensity
, and passion he’d dreamed of when he was young and believed in the good in people; before he became jaded, when Alana left him, and Roxy to pursue her career.

As Lilah’s eyes drifted shut and her breathing slowed to an even pattern. She looked lovely in her restful state with such a peaceful look on her face. Jake’s thoughts ventured into the past, a place that still gave him an unsettling feeling. His eyes were heavy and it wasn’t long before he dozed off.

It was just like yesterday. The most pivotal day in his life; the day he brought Roxy home from the hospital. Sure he had his parents on the farm with him, but he’d taken responsibility for his daughter from day one. His mother taught him how to care for Roxy and he diligently looked after her and took immense joy from watching her grow. She was his right hand. He’d be lost without her. His little princess, though she loved to play in the mud more than she liked to wear dresses with her pink cowgirl boots. She often asked questions about her birth-mother and he always tried to be gentle, but honest, that Alana had given him the greatest gift in the world the day she gave birth to Roxy. He knew that one day, when she got older, that answer wouldn’t be enough.

Now that he thought about it, ever since Lilah had come into their lives, Roxy hadn’t asked about her mom. But she did have a lot of other questions. Just a few nights ago at dinner instead of asking about her birth-mom like she usually did, she asked him if he was ever going to get married. Roxy innocently told him she wanted a mommy, a brother
, and a sister. Jake had choked on his corn so bad his mom had gotten up to slap him on the back repeatedly until he dislodged it and could breathe again. His dad didn’t help matters much by laughing and urging him to answer.

Jake had fumbled around a bit, but finally came up with the best answer he could think of at the spur of the moment. “One day when the time is right and I find the right lady, I’ll see about that. Now finish your dinner
before it gets cold, Roxy.”

It seemed to appease her for the time being. But it wasn’t lost on him
, the attachment Roxy and Lilah had for each other. And he, of course, was crazy about them both.

Lilah nudged her head against his neck and sighed in her sleep. It woke him from where his thoughts were drifting and he drew her closer, giving her a whisper of a kiss before sleep pulled him under
. Dreams of his first love and his inevitable first heartbreak disturbed him.

It was happening all over again. Alana was getting ready to leave the hospital, refusing to even acknowledge the daughter she had birthed the day before. He hated that Alana had looked so beautiful in her green sweater dress and stylish Ugg boots that she favored in the winter time. Her blond hair hung in soft waves and her face still held that pregnancy glow she’d had the last nine months. But the look she had was cold as the snow that covered the streets outside. He couldn’t believe how bitter and stand-offish she was being.

Tears were running down his cheeks when he broke down and begged her to reconsider. He pleaded with her to at least give them a chance at a life together as a family. To hold Roxy one time and look at her sweet face. Surely then she would want to be a part of her daughter’s life.

He’d been so young, so hopeful that once Roxy was born, Alana would have a change of heart. He’d been wrong about her. So stupid and naive.

***

Lilah woke when the sun was barely showing its first rays of light on the horizon. She’d been sleeping better than ever before all wrapped up against Jake with his heart beating a soothing rhythm against her ear as she laid on his chest. At first she didn’t realize what woke her. A glance at the clock showed it was barely six thirty in the morning. But when she felt him stir and mumble in his sleep, she realized Jake was dreaming. With a frown between his eyes, he shifted and groaned, turning his head to the side towards her. That’s when she saw the tear-stains streaking his
cheeks; some were still sliding from the corners of his eyes. Lilah raised her head and touched his cheek to comfort him, about to wake him up from his nightmare. At least she was going to, until she heard something that turned her blood cold.

“Alana, no! Please don’t go. Don’t leave me, honey. I love you. Roxy and I need you!”

It felt like someone poured a bucket of ice over her heart, then ripped it from her chest.

Lilah carefully eased away from him, stumbling when she got out of his bed and gathered her clothing. She was sobbing by the time she was dressed and walking out the front door. Drawing big, heaping gulps of air as she wandered down the driveway, collapsing to her knees as she trembled, trying to fumble with her phone to call Chelsea
, begging her to come get her.

Who knew a Ford Taurus that was on its last leg could fly like hers did when she took off from the Cane’s house. The one thing that she’d been hoping would happen for a good part of her life, had just happened. And what did she do? Run scared.

For crying out loud, what the hell was wrong with her?

Fear of the unknown, and fear of not living up to expectations. Or was it fear that he only wanted one thing and then he would cast her aside like he did all the women in his life? Why did he back away and wipe the remnants of her kiss from his mouth like he was ashamed he’d been caught with her?

Chubby Chelsea
. That’s what the kids had called her in school. Dom’s ex-girlfriend Jade was the one that started that torturous trend. She felt like no matter how hard she tried she would never erase that childhood horror of being the fat girl.

Chelsea swallowed back tears, failing miserably and burst out crying as she pulled into her driveway. Thank goodness she didn’t live very far
away or else she would have been driving blind. Once she got to her door and was fumbling with her keys she heard the sound that was as familiar to her as the sound of his voice. The roar of a motorcycle sent licks of anxiety and heat throughout her body. Not just any motorcycle. It was his. When she turned to look behind her, the neon green bike with the man of her dreams on it parked right beside her beat up old Ford. She watched him take off his helmet and stalk towards her looking both worried and angry like a storm was brewing inside of him violently. It made her shake like a leaf so badly she dropped her keys at her feet.

Dom bent down and picked them up without saying a word and opened her front door, throwing it back so hard it bounced against the wall and started closing again.
He grabbed her hand and yanked her inside before slamming and locking it with a resounding click. Chelsea was speechless, standing there holding tight to his large hand. For whatever reason, she couldn’t make eye contact with him so she kept her eyes on where their hands held on to each other. Her skin was so pale against his. It was the most beautiful sight she’d ever seen. There were few things that she loved more than the image of his dark skin against her fair skin. It just seemed right. Like two halves of a whole. He was the yin to her yang, as corny as that sounded.

Her tears had stopped and surprise had taken over. She hadn’t expected him to come after her like that. Of course, she hadn’t been expecting him to kiss her in the first place. Not the first time, nor the second. And when he jerked her against him and pressed his index finger under her chin and forced her to look up at him, she hadn’t been expecting to see hot desire burning in his chocolate eyes that were so dark now they were very nearly black.

Lashes fluttering, Chelsea gasped when he brushed the softest kiss she’d ever received across her already kiss-swollen mouth. It was like a breath of fresh air after the first rain of spring. He made her feel like a flower starting to open up in its first bloom, arching toward the sunshine and warmth of the one thing that brought it to life. His mouth sipped at the nectar she offered him of damp, open-mouth kisses that led from one to another until her fist found its way to the front of his starched shirt, gripping it as if she were holding on for dear life.

And she was. If she lost her touch with reality, she would be swept away into the romantic notion that he actually cared for her as more than a friend. Then she would end up getting hurt. But what if she didn’t? What if the potential was there for something to happen between them finally? He wouldn’t be there, looking at her like this if he didn’t feel something.

“Why did you run away from me, Chels?” his voice was rich. It poured over her like melted chocolate, soothing her in such a way that it made her open up even more.

But she knew she had to ask him the question that was burning inside of her. She had to know the answer, even if it hurt. While he was touching her she couldn’t think straight. Her defenses were down. In order to maintain her dignity, Chelsea broke away from him and tossed her clutch on the coffee table and headed for the kitchen.

“I don’t owe you an explanation, Dom.”

“The hell you don’t! I know you felt something back there, Chels. You can’t deny it. So why in the hell did you take off like a skittish horse?”

“A horse, Dom? Really! Of all the analogies you could compare me to, you pick a horse?” Deep down she knew he didn’t mean it in the way she took it. But years of battling her curves and trying to be thin, the horse comparison was just as bad as if he’d came right out and told her she was big as a barn.

“For fucks sake, Chels! You know damn good and well I didn’t mean that in a bad way. I meant you turned tail and ran instead of finishing what we started.”

When he reached for her again, she tried to jerk away, reaching towards the cabinet to get a glass to fill with water. She needed her hands busy or she was going to smack him upside his damn head for driving her insane with wanting things she would probably never have. It wasn’t fair.

Dom wasn’t having it. She found herself trapped with her arms behind her back, held steadfast in one of his hands while the other hand fisted in her hair at the nape of her neck. Her breath was coming in such short little gasps she was lightheaded from it.

He lowered his head and took her mouth with such passion Chelsea melted, her resistance futile. He consumed her with the heated slide of his full lips on hers. Deep, needy kisses that were punctuated with sharp bites had her panting. But it wasn’t just her that had breaths coming out in puffs between kisses. Dom’s breaths were laced with primitive growls that already had her panties wet and nipples hard as pebbles. For the first time in her life, Chelsea wanted to be bad, truly bad. She wanted to give up her pride, her faith and her virginity to the man she’d loved ever since she knew what love meant. It terrified her and thrilled her.

It wasn’t something that had ever come up in conversation. Sure
, Dom had joked around to them about his conquests, but he’d never inquired whether she’d had any experience before. She sure wasn’t about to share it with Mr. Sexy-the-pants-off-every-woman-he-meets, about her sexual experience or lack thereof. Hell to the no! Maybe he assumed she’d never dated anyone long enough to have sex. Maybe he assumed she was sexually free like he was and took on random partners as the need arose. Truth was, her parents raised her to maintain purity until marriage and she had promised herself that she’d do just that. Save herself for the man she would spend the rest of her life with so only he would have that special gift.

But to look at her now she must look like a common tramp, nudging her hips against the knee he’
d so perfectly placed right between her thighs where she ached the most. She made use of it, rubbing her heat against the taut muscle of his thigh while he sucked her tongue into his mouth and she dug her nails into the hand that held hers tight. She was mewling against his mouth, so close to something she’d never quite reached before and desperately searched for, that when he released her hands and put his hand under her dress to rub her through her soaked lace she nearly cried from the pleasure of it.

“That’s it
. Fall apart for me. Hell yes,” he mumbled against her lips.

Deftly, he shoved aside the offending lace that was keeping him from slipping through the wetness that he had created in her. All it took was the press and slide of his thumb against her pearl of desire and she cried out his name in utter bliss. He wasn’t through with her though. It seemed that her orgasm unleashed the beast inside of him. Dom scooped her up in his arms and carried her to her bedroom and laid her down like she was the most precious parcel one could have.