Blown Away: A Small Town Military Romance (The Moore Brothers Book 1) (20 page)

“Do it. Come for me, Juliet,” he said and she did just that.

When her breathing slowed, Ian stood and shrugged out of his shirt, undid his pants and stepped out of them. She could look at him like this all day. His cock straining towards her, his eyes filled with lust. He didn’t speak to her this time. He spread her thighs with his knees and pressed his tip against her opening. She threw her head back and he groaned, sliding himself all the way inside her until he was fully sheathed. She lost herself in his movement, in the sensation of having him inside her. She pulled on her bonds and called his name, his hips rocking and rolling and gaining speed as his own climax drew close.

“Look at me,” he growled and she did, her teeth clenched and her eyes locked on his while he came with a shout, bringing her right along with him. He collapsed on top of her and she was surrounded by him, filled by him. His scent in her nose, her name on his lips, completely and utterly consumed by the amazing Ian Moore.

Chapter Twenty-Six

Juliet

Juliet groaned and opened her eyes onto a piercingly bright day, the sun streaking in through Ian’s curtain-less windows stabbing her right in her poor, hungover head. Ian’s head weighed heavy on her chest, his arms wrapped tightly around her, holding her close even in his sleep. She kissed his hair and breathed him in, closing her eyes and damning the wine. He stirred and she smiled. Waking up with him was a gift, hungover or not.

Last night was amazing. Everything she had ever wanted, everything she had ever needed, including things she hadn’t even thought of yet! He had taken control without being demeaning. Pushed her boundaries and played with pain, but did it so that it brought her pleasure. Made sure she came, and not just once. Oh no! Juliet came at least three times, and there was a good chance that her last orgasm started the moment he entered her and ended right about the time the sun came up.

This was a man who didn’t just take control but was in control. A man who operated from a place of confidence instead of some injured psyche that demanded he be obeyed above all things. A man she could fall in love with. A man she already was in love with. She swallowed hard and kissed him again.

“Do it again.” His voice was slurred with sleep.

“Do what again?”

“Kiss my head. It hurts. Red wine never has my best interest at heart.” Ian shifted, rolled onto his back and she immediately missed the contact of his skin on her skin.

“You too, huh?” She draped an arm over her face. “As much as I appreciate the whole waking up with the windows open to the sea thing, I think the sun wants to kill me.”

Ian slid his feet off the side of the bed and sat up facing the window. Stretched while Juliet watched the muscles in his back flex and ripple, then stood, giving her an unobstructed view of his backside.

“Body of an Adonis,” she said and pushed herself into a sitting position, clutching the sheet to her chest.

Ian turned his head so his face was in profile over his shoulder, flexed his arms like a bodybuilder, and grit his teeth. “Ouch,” he said, grimacing. “I was gonna make a joke, but I think I just angered the red wine again.”

“Goodness, don’t do that. It’s angry enough already.”

Ian padded around the front of the bed towards his closet, paused when he saw her. “No, no, no. That won’t do. You can’t keep a body like that covered up. Drop that sheet, now.”

Juliet giggled and let the sheet fall, exposing her breasts. “Ohhh,” she groaned. “Don’t make me laugh. It’s bad. It’s really, really bad.”

“Alright then, what this needs is hangover food. Get dressed. We’re going to Good Beginnings.” Ian disappeared into his closet and reemerged with some clothes in his hand.

“I can’t. I have to go let Lulu out.”

“Fucking Lulu.”

Juliet slid out of bed and started gathering last night’s clothes. “I thought you liked Lulu because she brought us together.”

“Yah, but right now, she’s keeping us apart.” Ian pulled on some boxer briefs and pants. “How about this. We’ll stop at your house, let Lulu out, you can put on some new clothes because my sexy little angel won’t be doing anything close to the walk of shame, wandering around town in last night’s clothes. And then, I’ll take you into Good Beginnings and we’ll stuff our faces with whatever the hell we feel like.”

Juliet had to admit, the plan was a good one. Plus she really wasn’t ready to leave Ian’s company yet. She got dressed while Ian brushed his teeth, then they hopped in her car and Ian played with the dog while she took a few minutes to set herself to rights. It was only half an hour later that they found themselves seated in Ellie Charles’s cafe, coffee steaming in front of them, waiting for their food.

“Rough night?” Ellie asked with a quirk of her eyebrows when she brought a huge tray supporting the odd array of items they’d ordered.

“Oh, no. Rough morning,” said Ian, pulling a plate laden with pancakes in front of him. “The night was wonderful.”

Juliet giggled and bit her lip, met Ellie’s eyes with a sweet smile and nodded her agreement. “You’ll get no complaints from me.”

“Too much info, you two. Too much.” Ellie held up a hand and turned away, laughing gently to herself on her way back to the counter.

Juliet made quick work of breakfast, finishing a plate of pancakes, some bacon, and a biscuit, and drinking both an orange juice and a Coke in between sips of coffee. Ellie had made several trips back, wielding coffee like a trained hangover nurse and carrying away empty plates.

“So, looking back, was there anything about last night you didn’t like?” Ian asked, picking at a piece of buttered toast. “Anything you think fear or wine talked you into doing that you don’t think you want to do again?”

Julz thought through the night, taking the time to really process his question. The muscles deep in her belly flared to life and clenched, and damn if she didn’t get a little wet. “Nope,” she said with certainty. “Not one thing.”

Ian’s broad smile brought out one of her own. “That’s what I like to hear. You think we hit your limit? Or could we play some more?”

“Oh, I’m pretty sure we could do some more exploring. You don’t scare me. I feel safe with you.”

“You should. I’d never do anything to hurt you.” Ian leaned forward. “That you didn’t like, that is.”

Juliet hid her blush behind a long drink of coffee, the caffeine waging a very successful war against the pain in her head. “I’m so full.” She sat back in the booth, keeping her coffee in her hands. “But I’m not queasy anymore, so I’m not complaining.”

Ian cleared his throat and a serious expression fell across his face. “So, I was thinking,” he began and she was instantly queasy again, the change in him making her nervous. “If Michael Phillips broke the terms of your agreement, then he’s in breach of contract. I know you’re afraid he’s gonna try and find you or something, but I don't think you need to worry. He's probably thrilled you disappeared because you’re the one holding all the cards.”

Juliet shrugged. “Maybe. But I’m in breach of contract, too. I told both you and my friend Willow about what was going on. That’s a pretty direct violation of the non-disclosure clause. And I’m less and less sure he’s gonna want to find me. I think I’m just another notch on that belt, you know? Another name on a dotted line. But, I really don’t want to tempt fate. Tech Lord still owes me my final paycheck, and I sure would like to get it. I just can’t bring myself to reach out in case he comes swooping down on me and ruins all this.” Juliet made a sweeping motion, gesturing to Ian and the little strip of downtown Bliss out the window.

“If he owes you money, there’s no reason not to reach out and get it.”

“Yah, but what if he gets mad and starts accusing me of stuff? What if he, I don’t know, sues me? What if he goes after Willow, or you, because you know the truth about what he likes. What if… ” She couldn't bring herself to finish that sentence, to speak the fear that hung so heavily on her.
What if he tried to kill me so I couldn't say anything?

“Do you really think any of that will happen?”

“I don't know. Not really…? But Ian, I’m really afraid of him. He’s got a lot of money, and a lot of power, a whole team of lawyers, and I’m in a pretty good spot to understand that he’s not exactly working with a full batch of cookies.”

“Cookies, huh?” Ian asked with a wry smile. “That what you’re going with?”

“You better believe it.”

Ian sat back and watched out the window while Juliet thought through all the fear she had surrounding Michael. It’d been, what? Over a month since she’d left? Surely, seeing as Michael really did have all the money and power and technology he could ever need right there at his greedy little fingertips, he would have found her if he really wanted to. His continued silence spoke volumes.

“I think you should ask for your paycheck,” Ian said breaking the silence.

All the reassurance Juliet had been feeling dissipated. “It’s not worth it.”

“No. I think it is. Sure, he’s rich and powerful and has a team of lawyers, but that might not exactly work in his favor. Money, power, and lawyers? The Moore family has those things, too, and you know what? If my lawyer talks to his lawyer, I bet Michael Phillips would end up terrified of the court case that might follow on the heels of any contact he made with you
other
than sending you the money you’re owed. You know, high profile CEO’s tend to shy away from sex scandals that make them out as selfish, abusive, assholes.”

Juliet didn’t know what to say. What Ian just said made a whole hell of a lot of sense. Maybe she’d been safe this whole time, just because of the nature of the very relationship she’d been scared of.

She grinned. Couldn’t have kept a straight face if she tried. “You are so right.”

“Of course I’m right. That’s what I do.”

“He’s not gonna want me anywhere near a courthouse, or a microphone, or a news crew. Even if his mighty team of lawyers came slamming down on my head, the damage would be done to him the moment I opened my mouth.”

“And if his lawyers even looked at your sweet little head the wrong way, my lawyers would be all over their asses.” Ian leaned forward and took her hands in his. “And you better believe that if he tried to hurt you, he'd have to get through me first.”

Juliet beamed at Ian and for the first time she could think about Michael Phillips without feeling like she was left to the mercy of his actions. Like he could destroy her on a whim. Hell no. Not now. With Ian at her side, it turned out that she was the one in control of this situation.
Michael
was in the palm of
her
hand, at
her
mercy. Not the other way around.

“Can I take that shit-eating grin as a sign that you’re gonna go after your last paycheck?”

“Hell yah, I am. I’ll contact the Tech Lord human resource department as soon as I get home.”

Ian sat back. “How about this. Don’t contact them.”

Juliet frowned. Didn't he just talk her into calling about the money they owed her? How could she do that without making contact? “What do you mean?”

“I want you to let me get my lawyers involved. That way he knows to not even think about coming after you.”

“You’d do that for me?”

“You bet your sweet ass I’d do that for you.”

The smile was on her face again and she was nodding, laughing a little in disbelief. How had she gotten so lucky? She’d literally chosen Bliss on a whim and it’d been the best decision she’d ever made in all her life. All the years before Ian were cold and gray and mechanical. Stressful and tense. Since moving to Bliss and meeting Ian her world was filled with color and laughter. Things were easy. Right. Like this was the life she’d been destined to live.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Juliet

“Are you sure I look okay?” Juliet stood in front of the mirror in the bedroom and fussed with her dress, picked at her hair, leaned in and checked her makeup.

“You could look okay in a burlap sack.” Ian looked amazing, as usual, leaning back on her bed, his jeans hugging all the right spots in all the right ways, his cowboy boots kept respectfully off the duvet.

“I just really want to make a good impression, that’s all.”

Ian stood and crossed the room, wrapped his arms around her and met her eyes through the mirror. “They’re gonna love you. You’ve already met my brothers, and they’ve been busy going on and on about you ever since. If I was the jealous type, well, I’d be jealous.” Ian kissed her right behind her ear. “Besides, you’ve been so busy making me happy that my parents are halfway to charmed by you already. That only leaves Lilah and she doesn’t like anyone. Until they compliment her,” Ian said quickly when Julz whirled, eyes wide with alarm. “So now you’ve got a secret weapon. Tell her you like her shoes and you’re in there.”

It’s only lunch,
she kept telling herself on the car ride to the Moore family home.
You’ve done lunch plenty of times with high powered people at Tech Lord.
After their conversation at Good Beginnings last week, that name didn’t make her nerves go skittering around out of control anymore. Ian’s lawyers were busy talking to Michael’s lawyers and, according to Ian, things were going well. Just knowing that she had so many people in between her and Michael felt good. Knowing one of those people was Ian? Well, she felt damn near invincible.

“This is not the quaint little beachside home you described,” she said as he pulled into the driveway. She worried the hem of her skirt between her thumb and middle finger. “This is a huge-ass beachside mansion.”