Chapter 17

Ever

Oh, that son of a bitch!

I can’t believe he’d have the gall to bring home a woman. I slam the filter in the coffee pot and punch the “on” button. I’ll need more than one cup before we go running this morning, because I got jack for sleep last night.

And when I woke up to go to the bathroom this morning, I ran straight into Renner coming out of Linc’s bedroom. She had apparently been up early, probably for a flight she had to catch. She came out wearing a fresh uniform, with her hair and makeup all expertly done. She was perfectly put together and I felt like a troll next to her.

She even had the perky balls to say, “Good morning, Ever.”

I did nothing but grunt at her and hurry into the bathroom. By the time I got out, she was gone. Linc was apparently still asleep, probably worn out after an evening of hot sex.

Gah. What the hell is wrong with me? Why should I be mad? Why should I even expect different of him?

I’m so confused. I’ve been plagued with insecurity and doubt since that night in Oklahoma. He acted like he wanted me, but then he walked away. The way he looks at me sometimes, I can see desire and yearning. But then I came in last night, and he was holding that woman’s hand. He had a warm, soft look in his eyes. I had seen that same look, just before he went down on me. And he was telling her how beautiful and sexy she was.

What a fucking jerk!

When the coffee is finally done, I pour myself a cup. I’m still so angry, I manage to slosh a good bit over the counter, which I wipe up in between curses. I finally raise the cup to my lips, hoping that first jolt of caffeine will help to put me in a better mood.

“Good morning, Sunshine.”

Fuck! I spill coffee all done the front of my t-shirt.

“Jesus, Linc. Don’t sneak up on people...it’s rude.”

He just laughs.

Asshole!

“Who peed in your Wheaties?” he has the nerve to ask.

“No one. I just didn’t get any sleep last night.” My voice sounds grouchy and I hate myself for showing any feelings about the matter.

“Neither did I.”

I turn to look at him and my jaw hangs open. I can’t believe he’d throw that in my face. Does he seriously think I want to hear about his sexual escapades keeping him up all night.

Asshole, asshole, asshole!

Linc side steps me and heads to the coffee pot. He pours himself a cup and looks at me. “I wish you would have joined us for dinner last night. You missed some great salmon.”

My jaw drops further. I had been prepared to ignore this subject today but he keeps rubbing my nose in it. Acid drips from my voice, “I’m sorry...I’m not one to crash in on dates. Three’s a crowd and all that.”

“Date?”

“Yeah...you, that red-head...romantic dinner with wine. The deep look you were giving her as I walked in.”

Linc’s lips curve up in a smirk. “All be damned. Renner was right about you.”

Rage causes my blood to boil. I practically screech at him, “You two talked about me?”

The look on Linc’s face becomes wary. “Yes. We talked about you. I normally talk to my friends about what is going on in my life.”

I snort. “Oh, is that what you’re calling the women you bang these days? Friends? I suppose we’re friends, but we haven’t gotten around to the banging part.” I cannot help the flurry of words that are pouring out of me. I can’t stand the nonchalance with which he is treating this situation.

“Ever...last night—”

“Don’t, Linc. Don’t you dare try to explain it away. You know...I had come to accept the way you are with women. Hell, I was willing to throw myself in the long line of women waiting to get a piece of you. But I wasn’t good enough for you the other night. And it didn’t take you long to find someone else. Someone better, apparently. I’m sorry I don’t meet up to your standards—”

My words are cut off as Linc stalks over to me and grabs my face with his hands. I have no time to brace for the assault he places upon my lips. His mouth covers mine in a blazing hot kiss. His tongue is in my mouth and he’s backing me right up into the kitchen counter. My coffee cup falls to the floor, splattering both of our legs with coffee before shattering. But I could care less.

Linc has his entire body pressed into mine and he has taken absolute possession of my mouth. All of the thoughts and anger fly out of my head, and my hands grab onto his shirt to desperately keep him in place.

I’ve never been kissed like this before. It is hard, possessive and as our teeth knock together, I realize somewhat brutal. Just before he ends the kiss, Linc grabs hold of my bottom lip with his teeth, biting a groan out of me. Then he softly sucks on it before pulling away.

My chest is heaving with the effort to breathe, and although Linc has pulled his lips from mine, his erection is still pressed into my belly. I itch to move my hand down and take hold of it.

“Ever,” Linc begins, looking straight into my eyes. “Renner was not a date. She’s my cousin. One of my best friends. We grew up together and she’s like a sister to me. In fact, she’s the one that threw the shoe that split my chin open.”

“She clocked you with her shoe?” Images of her launching a stiletto at him fill my mind, and I have to wonder what Linc did to make a grown woman do that.

He chuckles. “Yes. I believe she was seven years old when she threw one of her Mary Jane’s at me in a fit of temper. Lesson learned...never piss off a red head.”

I can’t even respond. Humiliation runs through every vein in my body and I groan. I try to pull out of his arms so I can run to my bedroom and hide from the shame of my rant, but he holds me tight. So I do the next best thing and I bury my face in his chest. I’m sure the heat from my cheeks is burning a hole through his t-shirt. I’m not so far gone in my mortification though that I fail to notice the hard muscles of his chest under my hot cheek.

I can feel him give me a kiss on top of my head, then he steps back. He’s holding on to my upper arms, otherwise I would have bolted.

“That was quite a display of jealousy you gave me there, Miss Montgomery.”

My head snaps up and I glare at him. “I was not jealous!”

He merely raises an eyebrow at me and I clamp my mouth shut. Oh, God I was so jealous! I give him a sheepish grin and he chuckles at me.

Then he leans in and captures my lips again. Except this time...it’s soft. Sweet. Full of promise of something more to come.

To my dismay, it’s also way too short.

When he pulls back, he’s looking at me solemnly. “Ever...don’t let there be any doubt that I want you. Only you. You’re all I fucking think about.”

Oh my. My toes practically curl in my running shoes with the want and frustration in his voice. All of the doubts that I had have fled. He truly does want me. And God help me, but I want him too.

Badly.

I take a shaky breath in and let it out. “But...we’re going to wait?”

“Yes,” he says as he gives me one more soft kiss. “We’re going to wait. I have something special planned.”

I let out a sigh as he grins at me. I’ll have to be satisfied with holding on to the anticipation of the day that Linc decides the time is right. “So be it. Let’s go run off this sexual frustration then.”

When we come back from our run, I head toward the bathroom to take a shower. Linc surprises me by grabbing my hand.

“I forgot to tell you, we’re going on a trip today. You’ll need to pack for at least a week.”

“Where are we going? And why are you springing this on me just now?”

“I go out to Jackson, Wyoming every summer for my vacation. I’ve had this planned but I wanted to surprise you.”

I remember now. He told me during our interview and a little thrill rushes through me. I’ve always wanted to go out West, and the thought of me and Linc holed up in a mountain cabin has my insides squirming. The mere fact that he wanted to surprise me causes butterflies to let loose in my stomach. It is an incredibly romantic gesture. This has to be the “something special” he has planned. It has to be.

But then I remember something.

“Uh, Linc. I can’t stay for a whole week.”

“Why not? You’re on assignment, you know.” He sounds a bit put out that I’m not willing or wanting to say the whole week with him.

“I know. And I would love to stay the whole week. But it’s my mom’s birthday. And I always go home to spend it with her. I mean...after the cancer...I don’t want to miss one of her birthdays.”

He immediately holds his hands up to stop me. “Of course. Don’t even worry about it. You should definitely be with your mom on her birthday. I’ll just get you a ticket out of Jackson Hole and you can fly from there straight to North Carolina to be with your mom.”

I heave a sigh of relief that. “Thank you. That means a lot.”

Linc surprises me further when he steps into me, wrapping his arms around my waist. My hands go up to rest on his chest and I can feel his heart beating. I resist the urge to lay my ear against it so I can hear his life force.

“I was thinking we could celebrate our impending vacation with a kiss?”

My lips turn up in agreement at the suggestion. “You do, do you?”

He stares at my lips, waiting on my permission but I’m not going to make him wait. I lean up on my tip toes, seeking his mouth with mine. He bends to meet me and an explosion of passion rocks me when they connect.

Linc lets out a primal sound and crushes me to him, while my arms wrap around his neck to hang on. Without breaking the kiss, his hands move from my back to just below my ass, and the next thing I know, he’s lifting me up. My legs wrap around him, a move that feels so natural that I don’t second guess the wanton nature of it.

He settles me against his erection and I think I just might die it feels so good pressed against me. I silently beg him to walk me into his bedroom but he does nothing more than hold me against him while his mouth molests mine.

He is an amazing kisser. His lips are soft but demanding. His tongue always takes control, and mine can do nothing but helplessly follow along where he leads it. Even the use of his teeth is so erotic, I almost bet I could have an orgasm just from the way he kisses me.

And then all too soon, the kiss is over. Linc pulls away and buries his face in my neck. His breath is harsh, same as mine.

“God...Ever...I’m dying here.”

“Me too,” I assure him.

Reluctantly, he finally lets me down and I slide sinfully against his body, trying to relish the feel of his hardness rubbing me from my crotch up to my belly button.

Linc gives me a last, quick kiss on my lips, and then tells me to shower and pack. I just nod, completely in a daze, and completely delirious in my need for Linc Caldwell.