The Last Straw (5 page)

Her cell phone played Ralene’s tone. Ally ignored it, but when the second call came around ten, she had to answer.

“What’s going on?” Ralene said.

“How do you know I’m not in here making out with him?”

“Because I passed by your house earlier and your car’s in the same spot, by itself. And I saw the TV through the blinds.”

“Gee, maybe Jared’s right. I need more security.”

“He didn’t show?”

“Nope.”

“Dang. I’m sorry.”

“It’s not your fault.” Ally changed the channel. A reality show about finding the perfect wedding dress. Great. She left it there to torture herself. To drive the lesson home. Maybe this time she’d learn.

“I pushed you toward him. Given his track record, I shouldn’t have. I’m sorry.” Ralene’s words were tear-choked.

Ally’s eyes filled and her throat tightened. She bit back tears, tasting cherry lip gloss. “Not really, Ralene,” she muttered. “I can’t seem to resist the type.”

“He must have a reason for not showing.” Ralene sounded more like her optimistic self. “He’s got that kind of job.”

“Maybe. But it doesn’t change the fact he’s gone again.”

“Do you want me to come over?”

“No, thanks. I’m just going to bed.”

****

The next day she rode her bike to work, getting drenched by a cloudburst on the way. When she arrived at the office, her clothes spewed water everywhere. A glance in the lobby’s mirror showed her hair flat and red. Water always darkened the strawberry blond to red. She sighed. At least she hadn’t worn mascara.

“Hi, Ally,” Stewart Chapman said. He was bending over the receptionist’s desk, talking to the young woman. “Looks like you were caught in the rain.” When she shivered in answer, he straightened to his full, lanky height. “I have a towel in my office. Let me get it for you.”

“Thanks.”

Chapman showed up in her office five minutes later and handed her a gym towel. In the meantime she’d at least combed out her messy hair.

“Hey,” he said, “thought you’d want to know. The guy stealing the IP has been arrested.”

She stopped blotting her face with the towel. “That’s good news.” She dabbed her jacket with the towel, feigning interest in what she was doing. “And I guess Darren’s gone now?” Her question would betray her interest in Jared, but now may be the last opportunity to weave it into conversation.

Stewart cocked his head. “Not yet. Why?”

Was that pity? Her hands clenched. She jammed them in her pockets to conceal her reaction.

“Now that you mention it,” Stewart said, his tone casual, “I haven’t seen Darren today.”

The knot in her stomach turned to nausea. She’d let herself in for the same mistake. Now her new life was poisoned too. “Well, whatever. I’m glad they caught the guy. Do you know how much damage was done?”

Stewart’s jaw clenched. “I don’t want to think about it.”

“Of course not. I apologize.” After he left, she stared at the closed door, the knot in her stomach tightening. How much damage was done to the business? And how long would the company continue to exist?

Everything had turned south when Jared came back. She shouldn’t have let herself hope his feelings would grow into something significant. Shouldn’t have opened herself up to his special brand of hurt.

She was done with men. And might soon be out of money too. Worse and worse. Her body emptied of some essential element, like air or water. She sank to her chair.

A minute later, her phone cut through her reverie. She answered it like a zombie. “Ralene, it’s not a good time.”

“Time is a tricky thing between us.”

Jared. A charge zipped through her veins. She jerked to attention. Electricity.
That
was the essential element.

“Ally?” he sounded worried.

“Yes?” Her physical reaction to his call had pitched her voice up an octave.

“I’m sorry about last night. I needed to go out on a case. It threw me. It was a bad one. I meant to call you, but things took off too fast.”

Had he already left for another state? “Where are you?” Her voice pitched up even higher. Why couldn’t she control her voice? Or her blushes? She was an open book to this man, whether in person or on the phone.

“I’m in the parking lot of NST. Stew called. Said you looked like you could use a ride home to change.”

She should write him off. Instead she said, “I’ll be right down.”

He was waiting for her in the lobby. When she entered, he looked up, his eyes crinkled in a smile warm enough to dry her clothes from afar. He held an umbrella for her, taking care to cover her, even though it left his shoulder in the rain. She slid into the dry interior of his black Lexus and waited for him to come around.

“Ally, I apologize again. I should have called you right away. I never had a chance again after. I’ve got some things to learn about being in a relationship with this kind of job. I’ve never done it.”

Her heart thudded against her ribs. “A relationship? Or an involvement?”

He started the engine and turned on the heat but didn’t start driving. He’d put on his aftershave and the subtle, spicy fragrance enveloped her. “A relationship. If you’re willing. I hope you are. I know I need to think of you first.”

“What happened with your job?”

“They needed me to join a team for a child kidnapping.”

“Oh, no.” A shiver ran through her.

“It’s okay now. We nabbed the guy this morning. Turned out to be a father who’d lost a custody battle.”

“Poor man.”

“Yeah. Can’t imagine.”

“The child is okay?”

“Yeah. I’m going to get the dad some help. Children should get to see their dad. I wish my dad had wanted me that much. This man’s methods were wrong, but understandable.”

She leaned over and kissed his cheek, her lips brushing across his whiskers. Then she took his hand and leaned back. A warm smile returned to his eyes. Jared cared about kids and about her. He wasn’t her dad, who’d left them for a life he thought would be more fun.

“I’d like very much to try a real relationship with you, Jared.”

A grin softened the hard angles of his face. “Then let’s get you home where I can dry you off properly.”

The idea of being alone with him in her apartment drove the chill from her bones. In fact, by the time they reached her townhouse, she needed air conditioning.

After they parked, she waited for him to open her door, taking the time to collect herself. Were they really going to the next level? Despite earlier vows to the contrary, she hoped so.

He opened the door and took her hands in his. Then he scooped her into his arms and kissed her. His tongue delicately teased hers and filled her mouth with a hint of coffee, mint, and pure Jared. Her fingers explored his hair. She pulled him closer as hot hands caressed her back and traveled up her neck to cradle her head. Her arms settled around his neck as she came up for air.

A big grin met her gaze. “I’ve got to get you inside,” he said. “Now.”

“Yes, I noticed.”

His low growl filled her with slippery heat. His mouth closed over hers again as he lifted her into his arms. She kept hold of his neck, cradling her head against his chest.

“Hang on, baby.” He carried her to the door. “Keys?”

She had to function? “You’ll have to put me down.”

He set her down and she managed to find the key in her purse and open the door. He stepped in behind her, shut and dead-bolted the door.

In the silent house, their heavy breathing resonated. His darkened eyes focused on her lips but he didn’t pounce on her. Why was he stopping now?

“Do… do you want something… er, to drink?” she stuttered.

“I want
you
, Ally.”

Her mouth dried.

“Is that okay?”

“I think I’ve made it clear it’s more than okay.”

“I want to be sure you’re ready,” he whispered.

“You know I am.”

His mouth quirked. “Can you lead the way?”

“Yeah.”

His big hands were on her hips again, only this time she was leading.

The afternoon light flooded her pale green room. Finally someone could appreciate her decorating efforts. Not just someone. Jared.

“Nice color,” he said.

“You like it? I guess your name really is Green.”

His deep chuckle filled the room. “Yes and you have very good taste. You need to shut those curtains.”

She drew the drapes closed, and found his hand closing over hers. Large veins ran through the taut bronzed skin. Masculine hands.

“What’s this scar?” she asked, raising his hand in hers and running a finger over the pale line zigzagging along his thumb.

“Go-cart race.”

She laughed, then sobered. Found she liked picturing him as a little boy. “You raced go-carts?”

“Yeah. My friend, his dad, and I built them together.”

“Sounds nice.”

“I’ll tell you all about it later. Right now, I want to do this.” He turned her and ran the pads of his fingers up her throat then let them linger on her lips. His head lowered, giving her a close-up of his strong neck and shoulders. His lips on the pulse in her neck had her eyes drifting closed. “I like this spot,” he whispered, rising and meeting her gaze.

“Why?”

“Because it shows me your heart. I can feel your pulse there.” He dipped his head again and touched his tongue to her pulse. She gasped. “It shows you responding to me. I like it.”

When they made love before, they consumed each other. This time he savored her. Her heart expanded with more room to beat as the tightness in her chest released.

“Can I do this?” He started unbuttoning her blouse. Keeping her eyes closed, she nodded. His hands slipped over her bare skin. Ripples of pleasure eddied from his touch. His fingers found her bra strap, worked it loose. The lacy bra fell to the floor. The air was warm on her bare breasts. Her breath hitched as her body leaned toward his touch.

“My god,” he said, “I waited too long for this.” He lowered his mouth to a breast, but hesitated. She arched toward his breath and her sensitive flesh peaked hard when it met the stroke of his wet, firm tongue. A moan sounded as she closed her eyes. An ache pulsed in her core. His hands slid down her back and cradled her bottom, then slid up and unzipped her skirt.

“Oh, my god,” he said, stepping back to admire her garter belt and stockings. But then his fingers closed on the delicate lace and pulled the whole ensemble off.

She bit her lip, but couldn’t stop her pelvis from leaning toward his touch.

“You like that? Tell me what you like.”

“Yes.” She lifted her gaze and found him watching her, his darkened eyes broadcasting his own excitement. Her response aroused him. A trembling started from somewhere in her middle and spread to her limbs as her body melted like honey heated over flame.

His rough fingers stroked her swollen sex. “You’re so hot, so ready for me.” His voice was ragged and deep. “My god, how I’ve missed your sweet, responsive body.”

“I’ve missed you too.” And she had. Her need for him had driven her from everything familiar. She’d fled from all reminders of him. But now he was here and she ached for him.

“Let’s get you to bed.” He lifted her, laid her down and worked himself out of his clothes. The sight of his lean, muscular body stole her breath. He crouched over her, his rough hands scraping pleasure over her hot skin as her pelvis rose to meet him.

His tongue flicked and darted, leaving a trail of moisture drying in the heat down her throat, around her nipples and down her belly, while his hot hands cradled the sides of her breasts. She arched, her eyes sealed shut, surrendering to the longed-for pleasure of his touch.

But then his touch was gone, leaving her body taut like a bow. “Why are you stopping?” She opened her eyes and found him tearing the foil off a condom. “Oh.” Next he worked it over his erection. Her breath caught in her throat. “Don’t I get to play with that?”

“All you want, baby, all you want.”

“And anything I want?”

He knelt beside her on the bed, all the muscles of his abs and groin hard above his sheathed erection. “Anything.”

She pulled him on top of her and ran the tip of her tongue over his full, chapped lips until his eyes darkened and he took over the kiss, probing and pressuring her with male hunger.

The first touch of him against her opening evoked a groan. When he withheld himself, she growled and wrapped him in her legs, gripped his hard buns and pulled him into her body.

“God baby, there’s no one like you.”

She studied his eyes. Did he mean it? It didn’t matter now. He held himself motionless as she rocked against him. Held until her body pulsed around him. “Your turn.”

His caressing gaze turned more intense with each speeding stroke. Her power over him turned her on. She flicked her tongue over his mouth while his strokes turned to urgent thrusts. He swelled larger within her and she clutched her legs more tightly around him, rocking with him until he released into her.