New Species 04 Justice (27 page)

To expect him to drastically change would be wrong. She’d learned that firsthand with

her marriage to Conner. He’d married the daughter of a senator—the image—but the

real person hadn’t been quite to his liking. He’d bugged her to be more similar to the

public figure she’d had to be for her father’s benefit until their relationship fell apart.

“Jessie?”

She turned to watch Justice step outside, frowning. He was off the phone and away

from his computer. She smiled. “Hi.”

“Dinner was great. I loved it. Thank you.”

“I figured you did since you ate all of it and when I filled your plate again, you

polished that off too.”

“I’m sorry I was on the phone the entire time but it was an important call. We’re

trying to buy some property in New Mexico. It’s never simple for us. We not only have

to buy the land but we have to win local support and make sure the state is willing to

work with us before we buy it. That’s why, so far, the only two properties we own are

in California. We’re having issues with some states.”

“It sounds like a big hassle.”

“You have no idea. Why are you outside?”

“I’m hot. Maybe I’ll go soak in the tub.”

Justice closed the distance between them, smiled and grabbed her hand. “Come

with me.” He walked her deeper into the backyard toward the wall of the house next

door.

“Where are we going?”

He chuckled. “Next door.”

She stared up. “Why?”

“There’s a pool and you said you were hot.”

Jessie laughed. “Um, Justice? I think someone would mind us using their pool.”

He turned and released her hand. “I’m going to lift you up. Straddle the wall. I’ll

hop over first and I’ll lift you down. Ready?”

“We’re going to get caught.” Jessie warned.

“Are you ready?”

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She grinned, thrilled that he was doing something so spontaneous and risky to

spend time with her. He gripped her hips and lifted her easily to set her on the wall. She threw her leg over and watched Justice remove his dress shirt after unbuttoning it. His

tie and jacket were in her dining room, along with his shoes, which he always removed

as soon as he came home. His swift, graceful leap over the wall took her breath away,

impressed her deeply and she grinned when he lifted his arms to her.

He gripped her hips, she leaned over to brace her hands on his shoulders, and he

lifted her off the wall to slowly drag her body down his tall frame. It was sexy, so was

he, and her libido instantly fired into overdrive. He wasn’t all business now and

attached to his laptop or phone. He was the man who looked at her as if he wanted to

ravish her, get her naked in a pool behind a dark house and she hoped he wanted to

have his way with her.

“We’ll go swimming.” He eased his hold. “Nice cool water awaits us.”

She wouldn’t mind forgoing the pool to kiss him. A grin formed at the prospect of

him naked and wet. The kiss could wait until then. “Don’t blame me when we get

busted for trespassing if the owner comes home. You’re springing for bail money,” she

teased.

“I’m Justice North. Who’d arrest me at Homeland?” He chuckled.

She lifted her arms when he gripped the bottom of her shirt and tugged it over her

head. Jessie laughed and helped him get her out of her clothes. He discarded his pants

and boxers, bent and swept her into his arms. She knew what he was going to do,

grabbed her nose as he hesitated at the edge and met her gaze.

She nodded and he stepped into the deep end. Cool water submerged them and he

released her so they could swim to the surface. She laughed, throwing her hair back

from her face and the moon shone enough to make it easy to see him. She treaded closer

until he wrapped an arm around her waist, towing her toward the shallow end where

he could stand. He held Jessie a foot from him with his hands on her hips.

“Cooler now?”

She smiled. “Nope. I’m hotter.”

“Hotter?”

Jessie reached between their bodies until she cupped his cock. She massaged it until

it grew thick and hard. He closed his eyes in pleasure and a purr rumbled from his

throat. Jessie twined her arm around his neck and wrapped her legs loosely around his

hips and kept stroking him.

“You make me hot,” Jessie whispered.

Gorgeous eyes opened to stare at her. “You make me burn.”

Her hand gripping his shaft positioned him under her and she used her legs to

adjust her body. Justice threw back his head as Jessie took him inside her. He purred

softly as she tightened her thighs around his hips, taking him deeper inside her pussy.

“Just looking at you makes me wet. Feel?”

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“Yes.” Justice walked backward as Jessie moved on him, using her hold on his

shoulders and hips as leverage to slowly fuck him. She moaned, moving faster and

marveled over how good he felt driving in and out of her, hitting all those nerve

endings. He felt hard and large inside her. Justice growled softly. He suddenly grabbed

her and unwrapped her legs from around his waist. Jessie protested with a groan as

Justice withdrew his cock. Her eyes flew open.

“What’s wrong?”

He flashed his teeth as he grinned and sat down on the stairs in the water. He

turned Jessie in his arms until her back pressed against his chest. He eased her down on

his lap slowly. Jessie moaned as he slid inside her again. Justice spread his thighs,

forcing hers open wide since they were on the outside of his. Strong hands gripped the

insides of her thighs from around her waist. Justice thrust upward. Jessie threw her

head back against his shoulder.

“Yes!”

One hand slid lower and Justice brushed his finger over her clit from the front. He

thrust upward at a faster pace, pressing against her bundle of nerves harder and moans

tore from her lips. Justice purred from behind her, his hot breath fanning her shoulder

as he lowered his head and bit her shoulder. Jessie came screaming when the sharp nip

of pain sent her over the edge. Justice tore his mouth away and roared out his own

release.

Justice’s hands wrapped around her waist, hugged her tightly and nuzzled her

neck. His sharp teeth scraped her shoulder and his tongue lapped at her skin. She

smiled, glad he held her or she’d probably have melted right off his lap into the pool

from how relaxed her body grew.

“Did you make me bleed again?” She didn’t care if he had. “It’s okay if you did. It

felt good.”

“I didn’t break the skin,” he answered softly. “But I’m certain security will be

knocking at your door again.” He grew solemn. “I think we were too loud. We need to

get you back inside your house before they check on you. Leave the back slider

unlocked for me and I’ll—”

Something squeaked loudly and Justice tensed. His reflexes were quick as he jerked

her off his lap, spun her in his arms and dragged her into deeper water. Her back hit the side of the pool, his big body pinned her there and he leaned in close, shielding her.

“Get out,” Justice growled.

“We heard a disturbance,” a man spoke from the other side of the yard.

“Leave now.” Justice sounded furious.

“But we heard you, Justice. Is everything all right? We heard a female scream.”

“I’m not alone. Now leave,” Justice snarled.

The gate slammed and Justice softly cursed. He sank lower into the water, allowing

her to breathe more easily, and hung his head. She worried. He’d admitted to being

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with a woman in someone’s pool, to trespassing, but he’d kept the officers from

hanging around.

“Tomorrow I’m going to talk to them about the difference between doing their jobs

and being annoying. I won’t have them rushing to find me every time I roar.”

She hesitated. “Do you think he saw me?”

“No. We are upwind and got lucky. The two males didn’t know it was you, Jessie.

They will assume I drove one of our females through the back entrance to avoid them

seeing her. I have a private way into the community.”

“Look at the bright side. We aren’t in trouble for trespassing since we’re not under

arrest.”

“It’s my house and pool.” He suddenly grinned. “We were never in any danger of

that.”

Surprised, Jessie stared up at him. Her gaze shifted to the large, dark house. It was

the largest one in the community and she felt a little dense for not guessing who it

belonged to. Of course it would be his.

“You moved me in next door to you?”

“I wanted you close to protect.”

She studied his face as he peered at her until he grinned. “I was hoping that you’d

want me back in your bed. You have to admit this makes it easier for us to be together

without anyone knowing. The cottage nearest to you is empty and nothing is on the

other side of my house. It was designed this way for privacy for these two homes.”

Jessie wrapped her arms around his neck and smiled. “Why is there a house right

next to yours if you were so concerned with not having a neighbor on the other side?”

His smile faded. “I wanted a mate eventually and knew a female wouldn’t live in a

home with me. I had the cottage built to house my mate when I decide to take one.

Women need their space and freedom. I just hope that she won’t have a problem being

this close to me but I’d want her near enough to protect.”

Jessie felt pain stab her heart. He’d moved her into a house that one day his wife

would live in. She knew exactly why a female would want her own home and the

freedom to live away from Justice. He was counting on his mate being Species. She’d

caught the way he’d worded his last sentences—the source of her heartbreak. He had

said hope, as in still wanted it. He’d never consider Jessie as someone to keep around.

She was just sex to him.

Jessie released his shoulders. “I’m tired and need to get home.” She pulled away

from him to wade through the water toward the stairs.

“Jessie? Is something wrong?”

Besides you being a bastard
? She wanted to say that aloud but didn’t, too afraid she’d reveal how much his words wounded her. “What could be wrong?” Pain twisted at her

as she trudged up the steps. The air seemed chilly as she left the heated pool and rushed to her discarded clothing.

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“Jessie? What is wrong?” Justice sloshed out of the pool.

She assessed the wall as she jerked on her shirt and pants, shoving her underwear

into a pocket. It was too high to climb so she turned and spotted the lawn chairs. She

lifted one, carried it to the wall and easily climbed it. Pain shot through her ankles a

little when she landed on the soft grass in her yard and rushed to get inside, away from

him.

Justice easily leaped over the wall after her. “Jessie? Damn it, what is wrong?”

She glanced over her shoulder. “What could be wrong?”

She stepped through the still-open sliding-glass door and headed toward the dining

room. A naked Justice followed closely behind, dripping water on her carpet but she

barely noticed as she focused on her target. She closed his laptop, leaned down to grab

the handle of his briefcase and laid it open on the table.

“What are you doing?” Justice sounded irritated and confused.

Jessie ignored him to slide his laptop inside his briefcase and carefully picked up

the folders spread on the table. She shoved his cell phone in last and closed the case. She gripped the handle, spun around and lifted it toward him as her gaze finally met his.

“Take your work and go home.”

“Jessie?”

She stared into his beautiful, confused eyes. He had no idea why she was upset or

why she wanted him to leave, that was as clear as the frown on his face. That was the

problem. She shoved the case at him again.

“Take it or I drop it.”

He gripped it from the bottom. “What is wrong?”

She fought tears while glaring up at him. She was really hurt and worse, really

mad. She shouldn’t have to explain it to him but she saw that he wouldn’t understand

unless she did. She released his briefcase to place her hands on her hips, ready to tell

him exactly what the problem was.

“I’m done, Justice. You didn’t want anyone to know about us because you knew we

wouldn’t last. You said it was to protect everyone but I assumed that was for only as

long as we were still getting to know each other. How naive of me to honestly think you

wanted to see if we had a future. You moved me into the house of your future mate and

you just made it very clear you’re set on a Species woman. Well, guess what? Fuck you,

Justice. I have feelings. Do you get that?” She yelled the last part.

His eyes narrowed. He still appeared baffled by her outburst.

“Don’t look at me that way. There’s not a thing wrong with me. You’re the

problem. This unworthy-of-you human female is fed up. You’ll sleep with me, make

love to me, have me fix you dinner and yet you hide the fact that we’re together.”

“We discussed this and you know it’s to protect—”

“Bullshit!” She didn’t let him finish. “Yes, I get why we should hide our

relationship but I thought once we grew closer, maybe realized this was long-term, that

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it would change. It’s never going to until you dump me when you decide to take a