Haley's Cabin (14 page)

who tried to convince me you were catching me on the rebound. I think maybe I need to reflect on it

some more.”

Jeremy let a grin appear just a second before his palm came down on her white-cotton shorts. “Bullshit it

was rebound. Now say it, or you’ll get another one.”

Jeremy saw the desire in her eyes as she went submissive in his arms. He glided his hands over her

body, feeling her curves as if it were the first time. He stroked her thighs, then let his hands slip between

them. Jeremy groaned when he felt her heat. Her words, uttered sexy and low, had his cock eager and

aching in his jeans.

“I do love you, Jay. It feels backwards, though, because it’s like we fell in love first and we’re just now

doing the courtship part. But I felt a connection to you. The dream brought you to me, and I’m not going

to give you up. Not for anything.”

“Jesus. You sure know how to make a man beg.” Then he lifted her to a sitting position and skimmed off

her shirt. He flung it to the floor and murmured, “I’ve got two days to make up for. I’ve been in hell

waiting for you.”

“Your fault,” she managed to get out between pants as she let him touch and play with her nipples. He

pulled her down toward his face so he could suck on one turgid peak, but just as his tongue darted out,

stroking her heated skin, she pushed away from him, gaining a frown from him in return.

“What now?”

“How did you know where I lived? I’m not in the phone book.”

He shrugged. “Brad told me.” He started to pull her down again, his mouth fairly begging for a taste of

her, but she held firm.

“What?” Jeremy growled. He knew he sounded harsh, but if he didn’t get inside her tight little body

soon, he’d die.

“Dr. French told you where I lived? He can’t do that.” She frowned. “Can he?”

“Ah, don’t blame him, honey. I was prepared to toss him in lock-up overnight.” Then he thought of Lisa

and Mara and said, “Plus, he had a few other things on his mind at the time.”

Her eyes went wide with shock. “You were not going to arrest him.”

“I was. No one was going to keep me from you. No one.” His voice went low and raspy as he

admitted, “I need you. Like I need the air to breathe. I swear, my heart can’t pump without you, my soul

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can’t exist without you. For two days I’ve nearly died wanting you.”

She stared at him in astonishment and Jeremy had a sudden need to plead his case. “I want to lie with

you for the rest of my life. Wake up next to you in the morning and tease you when you’d rather sleep.

Rub your back when you feel achy after a long day at work. I want to come home to you every night,

sweet baby, and know you’re mine. All mine.”

Haley started to interrupt him, but he wasn’t quite through yet. He wanted to put all his cards on the

table and if she accepted him afterward, then he’d be the luckiest son-of-a-bitch alive.

“Truthfully, I don’t have much to offer you. Hell, I wouldn’t blame you for kicking my lame ass out the

door. I’ve got a shitty apartment that’s not fit for me, much less a lady, though I do have a healthy bank

account. Money isn’t an issue, baby, you can trust me on that.” He paused, caught by the tenderness in

her eyes. Jeremy knew he needed to get on with it or he’d lose his nerve. Damn, the police academy had

been easier than this.

“There will be days when I’m going to be working way too many hours. There will be long periods when

I’ll be immersed in a case and may not even realize you exist. I apologize for that ahead of time.” His

mouth kicked up in a rueful grin. He wasn’t doing much to convince her what a great catch he was. “But

I swear I’ll try to make you happy. No one will ever love you as much as I do, Haley. No one.”

“Oh, Jay,” she whispered, touching his jaw with her small, delicate fingers. Jeremy’s chest felt tight as he

saw her eyes suddenly fill with tears. “It’s not material things I’m after,” she told him, then shrugged.

“Besides, my job is very demanding, too. Lordy, when I’m writing script, I’m practically in another

world.” Haley’s face softened a fraction and Jeremy breathed easier knowing she wasn’t going to let the

tears fall. Her strength was just one more thing he loved about her.

She took him by surprise when she ran her finger over his lips and murmured, “But that doesn’t mean I

can’t make time for you. I’m exactly where I want to be. Right here in your arms. For the rest of my life,

I want to be right here in your arms.”

He stroked her back. “Good, then we’re agreed. Living without each other is not a fucking option.” His

impatience grew to new heights as he stared at her sweet tits. “Now, if you don’t make love to me, I’ll

have to tease you until you cry uncle.” Her eyes lit at the prospect and Jeremy’s body vibrated with

anticipation. He truly enjoyed the way Haley responded to him.

“You brought the handcuffs?”

“Damn right I did.”

“Oh, yes. Pretty please, can we?”

“Yes, baby, anything, I promise,” Jeremy assured her and he meant every word. “But, first the floor. I

can’t wait any longer to be inside you.”

“Great idea,” she said, then leaned down to kiss him, but he was the one stopping this time as he

remembered the minor detail of the DVD. He hated bringing it up, especially now, but he had to clear the

air about that one issue. After that, there’d be nothing else between them. Well, accept for a few articles

of clothing. A tug here and a pull there and that problem would be happily solved.

“You forgot something back at the cabin,” Jeremy ventured, praying she wouldn’t freak when he told

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her what he’d done with the movie they’d made together.

“No, I didn’t,” she mumbled, then she tried to kiss him again, but he held her firm.

“Yes, you did. You forgot the DVD. But I’m not going to destroy it, so don’t even bother asking.”

“No, I didn’t forget it. I left if for you.” Her grin was impudent and her cheeks turned a pretty shade of

pink. “I didn’t want you forgetting about me and I wanted to prove to you that I trusted you,” she

whispered. “I felt like you needed that, I guess.”

“Damn, Haley.” The air left his lungs in a rush. “I’ve watched that friggin’ thing about a dozen times.

Every single time I’ve driven myself nuts waiting until tonight to come for you. It’s nearly killed me to

wait.”

“You watched it? Alone?” she asked, stunned and intrigued

He yanked at a lock of her silky hair. “No, I invited my brother over to watch it with me,” Jeremy

taunted. “Of course alone.” Haley’s tongue darted out and slowly licked her lips. Christ, he was nuts

about her.

“What did you do when you watched it, Jay?”

Her eyes had gone all sexy and drowsy. That was all it took for his erection to grow thicker. Damn, if he

got any harder, he’d pop his zipper.

“Now what do you think I did when I watched it?” he asked devilishly.

She spoke so low he barely heard. “Did you…touch yourself?”

He laughed at her shy response. “Yes, I did, and every single time I wished it was your hand on my

cock instead of mine. Your hand squeezing and pumping.”

“Oh, me, too.” She sounded so sweetly sincere. All at once, Haley shook her head and turned her nose

up in the air. Crossing her arms over her chest, she declared, “Then again, I think you deserved a little bit

of torture for sending me away.” She glanced away and Jeremy knew just how much he’d hurt her.

“It hadn’t been my intention to hurt you, baby. I swear it.”

She smacked his chest. “Well, of course I know that, silly, or I wouldn’t be about to make love to you.”

He chuckled and shook his head. “You’ve got a real smart mouth, do you know that?”

“Yeah? So what are you going to do about it?”

The time for talking was over. It was time for Jeremy to make love to the woman who’d stolen his heart

in just under twenty-four hours flat. Fuck, that had to be some kind of record.

Jeremy reached up, grazing her right nipple with the back of his hand as he whispered huskily, “I think

you need to be punished. Two days away from me and already you’re being very naughty.”

“Mm, you think so?” she asked in that breathless voice that pushed his body into overdrive.

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“Oh, most definitely. First things first, though. Get those shorts off so I can see all of you.”

Haley never hesitated. She stood above him, mimicking the move he’d pulled on her at the cabin, and

slipped her shorts down as far as they would go, then she lifted her left leg the tiniest bit. Jeremy helped

by yanking at the leg of the shorts and soon they were on the floor. Jeremy stared at a pair of white bikini

panties. She looked innocent and brazen all at once.

Such a lovely combination.

He gritted his teeth, ravenous and aching, but waited and let Haley take her time about it, giving her the

reins for the first time ever.

Haley didn’t disappoint him. She shed the panties, too, and it took Jeremy mere seconds to get his own

jeans undone. He pulled his cock free and groaned. He was throbbing for the tight pull of her pussy.

“Sit down. Real slow, so I can feel every inch of your wet heat, baby.”

“Oh, Jay, I’ve missed you so much,” she moaned.

Haley used his chest to brace herself as she slipped his cock inside inch by inch. Torturously slow, just

as he’d wanted. Jeremy had to lock his hands behind his head to keep from wrapping them around her

hips and thrusting her down onto him. He wanted desperately to pound into her. He was so hard it hurt

and Haley felt so damn good. So perfect. When she arched her back and began a slow, sweet rhythm,

Jeremy knew he’d found his heaven. It was just that simple.

“Brad, you can’t keep her at home if she wants to leave.”

“She’s staying put.”

Jeremy sighed. He’d never seen his brother so unmovable. He was dead set on keeping Lisa in bed and

off her ankle. It was three weeks since the accident and Brad had practically stood vigil by her bedside.

Hell, he’d even gone so far as to temporarily move into her home so he could be there whenever he

wasn’t working. When he did go to the office, he had someone else watching over her. Jeremy and

Haley had both taken their respective turns, but this was getting ridiculous. Lisa swore she was fine and

Jeremy believed her. Her arm was in a cast, her ribs were healing right along, and her fractured

ankle—the most troublesome injury—was kept immobile with the cast. The doctors had let her know the

lung was fine as well. Besides that, Lisa didn’t have a stressful or physical job. She sat and typed at a

computer pretty much all day long, so Jeremy didn’t see why she should stay home. It was clear she

wanted to get back into the swing of things. Being cooped up for three weeks was wearing on her

nerves. But Brad wouldn’t budge an inch.

“Brad, Lisa’s a smart girl. I don’t believe she’d go back if she didn’t really feel she was up to it. What’s

the problem?” Brad wouldn’t look at him. “Unless there’s another reason for you to keep her in bed.”

Brad’s gaze swung back to him, his eyes holding him in place with barely repressed anger. Jeremy had

hit one helluva hot nerve.

Jeremy crossed his arms. “Spill it. What’s going on?”

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“I don’t like her boss.”

Brad’s voice had gone cold and distant. He’d never heard that tone from Brad. Not ever.

“She’s too naïve for her own good, Jay. That asshole only wants to get her into bed.”

Jeremy was beginning to get the picture. He rubbed his jaw and tried not to grin. “Did she tell you that?”

He rolled his eyes and pointed toward the closed door of Lisa’s room. They were standing out in the hall

having their conversation about Lisa’s boss while she slept, oblivious to Brad’s growing anger and

possessiveness.

“Hell, she thinks he’s
so
nice. Just the best ever.” He clenched his fists at his sides and groused, “He’s a

fucking barracuda waiting to strike.”

The words were no sooner out of Brad’s mouth than they heard a noise. Jeremy and Brad turned. Lisa

stood in the doorway to the bedroom. The light from a window illuminated her blonde hair, making her

look like an angel. Jeremy noticed the setting sun also made her white cotton gown appear nearly

transparent. He quickly looked away. The last thing he wanted was for Brad to turn all that possessive

anger on him.

Huh. Who would have imagined the oversized sweatshirts Lisa always wore hid all
that?
Then again,

Brad had apparently seen right through her bulky disguise.

He cleared his throat and made a show to look at his watch. “Uh, Haley will have dinner for me, so I

think I’ll be leaving now.”

Brad stood frozen in place. His eyes hadn’t once strayed from Lisa’s silhouetted body.

“And don’t forget about going for the fitting next Tuesday. Haley will have my ass if something goes

wrong with this wedding,” he added for good measure. Brad merely mumbled a distracted
yeah
and

Jeremy quietly let himself out. He was anxious to get home to his own luscious woman.

His cell phone rang. Jeremy snagged it off his belt loop and glanced at the caller id. He smiled.

“Hello there, Mrs. Pickett.”

“Soon-to-be Mrs. Pickett, you mean.”

He heard her husky laughter and his body clenched in reaction. “Yeah, real soon.” Jeremy couldn’t help

but imagine Haley in a white gown walking down the aisle toward him.

“Are you headed home?” Haley asked, her voice going all soft and breathless. The woman had a very