Explosive Passion (8 page)

T
he cool night air didn’t soothe Boom’s thoughts as he stood on the balcony, looking out at the lights of Minneapolis. It was stupid to come, to think he’d be welcomed, even after his mother had called. The years had proven to be a divider, one that they couldn’t destroy now, one that would always be there. His only hope for the whole trip was that it might prove to be the opening he needed to gain back the friendship he had once with Justin, but even that was shattered.

“Can’t sleep?” He turned to find Wynn leaning on the glass door, a blanket wrapped around her, blonde hair slightly tousled from sleep. “It’s late. You need to get some rest.” She came to stand next to him. “How long have you been awake?”

He glanced down, his hands itching to touch her. Awake? Heck, he never got to sleep. After a quiet dinner at a restaurant around the corner, they made their way to the apartment, exhausted. He had gone to bed with her, hoping that cuddling her tight against his body would ease the tension in his body. After hours of lying there staring at the walls, he finally got up.

The smell of sweet vanilla from her shampoo and the round curves of her body hardened his shaft as soon as she settled against his body. “A bit,” he lied, not wanting to explain how he’d spent the night.

“Anything I can do to ease the worries on your mind?” She slid her arm across his back, the blanket now wrapped around them both.

“There’s nothing we can do here, but I don’t want to leave yet.”

“Melody will cover the shop, and you’ve got leave from the SEALs to deal with the family emergency. We’ll stay as long as you want.”

Her hand caressing his back broke the last of his control. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her to him, and lowered his head. Their lips met, her mouth opening, letting his tongue explore. His hand slipped under the blanket, grabbing her ass to lift her off her feet. She wrapped her legs around his waist, her arms locked around his neck to draw him closer.

His groin throbbed with desire. He wanted nothing more than to take her to bed and have her scream his name. He broke the kiss, enjoying her warm breath over his face. “I should have left you here while I dealt with my fucked up family.”

“Why? Ashamed of me?” Her breath came in gasps.

“Hell no! I just didn’t want you to have to deal with their shit, though I have to say it was mild, guess that was because we were in public.” He squeezed her tighter to him. “You know, I’ve wanted you since I first laid eyes on you. I don’t think I’ve ever wanted to be with someone as much as I want you.” Adrenaline flooded his veins.

“I want your hands on my body, your lips on mine. Please…” she begged.

Without further invitation, he walked the two quick strides through the door and back to the bedroom. He lowered her on the bed, the blanket discarded on the floor. Whisking her nightshirt over her head, he took in the sight of her naked body. He tossed the nightshirt aside, slid his hand over her waist, and knelt before her. He wedged his body between her legs. Trailing kisses along her neck, hunger coursed through him. He wanted to take his time, get reacquainted with every inch of her body. He claimed her nipple with his mouth, sucking it and flicking his tongue over them.

“Oh, Jared,” she moaned, and tugged at his jeans.

Reluctantly, he released her nipple to lay kisses over her shoulder and up her neck until he could gaze into her hazel eyes. “You’re beautiful.” Her cheeks reddened as he pushed her back on the bed and crawled next to her. “I want you on top, to see your body riding mine. I want to see your beauty highlighted by the moonlight.” He rolled onto his back, pulling her with him until she rested on top, caressing her curves.

He slid his hand between their bodies, his fingers teasing her and entering her, tantalizing her with yearning for more. She arched her back, giving his fingers deeper access. As the moonlight accentuated her body, she rode his fingers to orgasm.

“Please, I need you.”

He moved his hands to her hips and lifted her. “Up.” When she hovered above him, he adjusted so his shaft stood just below her entry. She slowly lowered down. Filling her inch by inch, he pushed her up with her hips before entering her completely. Steadily, his hands on her hips guided their pace.

He leaned forward, locking his mouth on her nipple and sucked until she moaned in pleasure. Her hips increased their pace, driving him forcefully into her with each pump. His thrusts became deeper and faster into a perfect rhythm. They moved together with precision, as if in a well-choreographed dance.

Her body tightened around his shaft and her nails dug into his chest. “Oh, Jared!” she cried out as his own release followed.

Breathless, he brushed her hair from her face. He wanted to see her. Wynn’s eyes were glossy and dreamy—the aftermath of amazing sex. She slid off him to lie next to him and snuggle against his body. Content, he pulled the sheet over them, and he lay cradling her, caressing her spine with long, lazy strokes.

“I’m sorry things didn’t go better.” Her fingers rubbed small circles down his chest.

He kissed the top of her head. “Me too, but it doesn’t matter.”

She glanced up at him. “Don’t lie to me. It does matter to you.”

She was right. It did matter, but he learned a long time ago he couldn’t change them. “I’m putting it behind me and starting fresh.” She gave him a fresh perspective and love of life again. He wasn’t going to let it slip through his fingers.

D
awn peeked over the buildings, casting a warm glow across the floor and edge of the bed from where they didn’t close the curtains around balcony door. Sleep barely touched Jared through the night, and when it did, it left him with dreams of his family. Being back in his hometown brought everything to the surface. He wanted to return to Virginia, to get away from the memories that were haunting him, but he needed to stick around to see what happened with his father.

She yawned. “The time change is playing with your sleep schedule. You barely slept. Maybe we should close the curtains and stay in bed. There’s nothing waiting for us anyways.” She curled up in his arms, her left leg and arm draped over him, cuddling close.

“That sounds like the best plan I’ve heard in the last twenty-four hours. Lift up and I’ll get the curtains.” He slipped out of bed and padded naked toward the curtains. There was nothing waiting for them to get up, so why not stay in bed cuddled together? She had been his rock through it all and snuggling with her sounded like the perfect way to spend the day.

The doorbell rang, cutting through the stillness of the morning. “Fuck!”

“I guess that ends our quiet morning before it even starts.” She sat up, grabbing the silk robe that she had tossed at the edge of the bed the night before.

“Who knows we’re here?”

“Besides my friend who owns the apartment? Only your brother and my friend wouldn’t stop by.”

“Fuck.”

“Is that going to be your word of the day?” She tied the robe. “Get dressed. I’ll answer the door.”

“No, you’ve dealt with enough of their shit.” He grabbed the shorts he started the night in and cut off her access to the door. “I’ll deal with him.”

“
We
will, remember, we’re a team.”

“What would I do without you by my side?” He kissed her quickly and strolled hand-in-hand with her to the door. “Here goes nothing.” Facing a terrorist behind the door would have held less stress than the idea of his brother, or any of his family being on the other side. Too bad he couldn’t just shoot them and be done with it, like he could in the midst of a battle.

J
ared tugged the door open and there stood a very disheveled Justin, his eyes red-rimmed. His stomach sank with the knowledge that there was only one thing that would bring Justin here in that condition. He stepped aside, letting his brother in.

“I programmed the coffee pot before we went to bed. It should be ready.” Wynn rushed off to the kitchen.

“Have a seat, Justin.” He nodded to the small living area.

“He’s…” Justin started, but stopped when Wynn returned with the coffee.

“Here, drink this.” She handed him a mug before going to perch on the arm of the chair next to Boom.

Justin took a sip of the coffee before setting it aside. “Dad never made it off the table and died early this morning.”

The announcement did nothing for Boom. He had expected loss to set in but there was nothing. No sadness, no loss, just nothing. Years ago, he had grieved for the loss of his family, so this didn’t change anything. You couldn’t grieve again for someone who had been out of your life for fourteen years.

“You have nothing to say?”

“What would you like me to say, Justin? Dad, Mom and you have been out of my life for too long. I don’t know the man who died today. By all means, he was a complete stranger. Do you grieve for someone who came into the emergency room? No, because you didn’t know them. You do your job and try to save them, but you don’t grieve for each person.”

“He’s your father, not a stranger.”

“Justin, I really don’t want to get into this with you.” Wynn rubbed a small circle on his back to keep him in his chair instead of pacing the floor.

“It doesn’t matter.” Justin rubbed his eyes, looking back at him. “Mom wishes to respect Dad’s final wishes and doesn’t want you at the funeral.”

“Fine. We’ll be leaving soon, so there’s nothing to worry about.” He swallowed fury. “If that’s the only reason you’ve come then you can leave.”

“I just wanted to inform you of our father’s demise.” Justin stood and walked to the door. “You joined the military and that was the end of things for you, while I had to stay home and deal with our parents. You got off easy.”

“You only had a year and a half until you were eighteen and then you could have done whatever you wanted.” Boom didn’t turn around; he didn’t need to see any of the hatred on his brother’s face.

“I didn’t have the courage you did. All your life you went against the grain, doing things your way instead of Dad’s, while I worked twice as hard to make it up to him. It’s why I went into medicine. I thought it would please him, but nothing was ever good enough for Dad.”

“If you don’t enjoy medicine, get out of it.” Boom turned in his chair to look behind him. “It’s your life and when it comes down to it, you have to make sure you’re happy. You have to live with your life choices, not Mom and Dad.”

“Yeah we do, and look where yours got you.”

“Yes, look at where mine got me.” He stood up and pulled Wynn into his embrace. “I’ve got a career I enjoy and I woman I love more than life itself. I couldn’t have asked for a better outcome.”

Justin glared at them for a moment, but there wasn’t just hatred reflecting in his eyes, there was also jealousy. Before Boom could comment, Justin left without another word, slamming the door behind him.

“Oh Jared, I’m sorry.”

“Marry me.”

She leaned away from their embrace to look at him. “What?”

“Marry me.” He cupped her hand into his, bought it to his lips, and laid a kiss on her knuckle. “What I said to Justin just now is true. You are my rock. You’ve put up with the shit my family flung and didn’t even bat an eye. I love you more than I ever thought possible and I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”

“Do you realize this is crazy?”

“Yes, but we’ve both always done the crazy stuff. I’m not asking that you marry me tomorrow, but I want you as my wife.”

“Jared Taylor, you’re all I think about from the time I wake up until I go to sleep. Even in my dreams, you play a constant part. I couldn’t imagine my life without you. Yes, I’ll marry you.”

He kissed her, long and sensual, claiming her as his again. When their lips finally parted he whispered, “Who’s going to break it to Ace?”

“That’s all you.” She laid her hand on his chest. “It’s time for you to live up to your famous nickname and deal with the explosion also known as my brother.”

“I wonder if I just got the short end of this deal,” he teased.

She kissed him again. “I need to shower.” She untied the robe and let it fall to the floor.

“I’ll lock the door and then I’m going to join you.” Watching her pad naked to the bathroom caused his shaft to harden with desire. Images of the soapy water cascading down her silky body had him quickly checking the locks before dashing after her.

In the bathroom, he could see the outline of her body in the fogged glass door. He stripped off his shorts, tossed them on the sink, and opened the door to join her. Steam billowed out of the shower. The heat of the shower called to his tense muscles, he wanted it as much as he wanted her. She leaned against the blue and white glass mosaic tiles, the showerhead spraying water down her naked body, sending soap bubbles rushing toward the drain.

“Damn, you’re even more beautiful wet.”

“You’ve already had me wet.” She winked at him.

“I plan to do it again, right now.” For a moment, he stood there enjoying the way the soap bubbles slid over her body. He gently tugged her arm, pulling her closer to him, and in one quick motion he pushed her gently against the shower wall.
Giving in to temptation, he ran his hands up her slippery back.

He crushed his mouth to hers and slid his hand between her legs. Unerringly finding her core, he teased the bundle of nerves and dragged pleasure from her in hard, hot waves. She moaned around his unrelenting kiss. He held her captive against the wall, his fingers thrusting into her as his thumb continued to wring more pleasure from her body. “Jared.” She tipped her head back, her nails clawing at shoulders as the tidal wave of orgasm smashed through her.

“Take me,” she murmured against his mouth.

His teeth grazed her lower lip and he pulled his hand away. She cried out in frustration, but he ignored her demands. Gripping her hips, he lifted her and spread her thighs before he drove into her with one powerful thrust. He gave her no time to catch her breath before he began rocking in and out of her. She had no control, no say as he left her mouth and kissed a path to her neck. Digging her nails into his shoulders, she held on to him as every thrust of his hips sent pulses of pleasure exploding through her. She came apart at the seams, her inner muscles clenching around him as he continued to drive into her.

He slammed home in a frenzy and his climax burst through as a second orgasm shook her body. He held her tight until her body calmed, his hands on her hips kept her from collapsing into a heap on the shower floor. She was amazing in every way.

W
ynn sat on the edge of the bed with her cell phone in her hand and tears splashing down her face when Jared came back from the pub with sandwiches for lunch. The phone call she had been waiting for had finally come in, only it seemed like the wrong time for such news.

“Sweet cheeks, what is it?” He knelt in front of her. “Did something happen?”

“New York…”

“You’ve finally heard from them? What did they say?” He held her hands in his, rubbing his thumb along her wrist.

“The timing is all wrong.” She shook her head.

“Oh sweetie, I’m sorry.” He started to get up to sit beside her.

“No, it’s not that…they want my designs. It took longer than I expected for them to get back to me. I had almost given up hope, but their delay was because they wanted to offer me a larger contract. A large display and in two different Fifth Avenue shops. The contract has been sent to my office.”

“Sweetie, that’s wonderful! Why the tears?”

“The timing. I shouldn’t be happy and celebrating when you just lost your father.” She pulled her hand from his grasp and wiped the tears.

“No, this is perfect timing. I grieved a long time ago for the family I lost. Tonight we’ll go celebrate and tomorrow afternoon we’ll go back to Virginia. We’ll even be on time for the dinner with Ace and Gwen.”

“Dinner tonight sounds good, but tomorrow with Ace, maybe we should put it off.”

“No way, my beautiful fiancée. We’re going to take the bull by the horns and tell Ace of our pending wedding and your newest adventure to New York. Everything is going to be perfect. See, our life is coming together, one step at a time.”

“You’re amazing, Jared, and I love you.” She wasn’t sure that everything was going to be perfect but she wasn’t going to fight it at the moment. Tomorrow she’d worry about Ace’s reaction and what her parents would think of her branching Roll of the Diamond’s designs out to New York stores, while tonight she’d celebrate with Jared and let the cards fall where they would.