Chapter 14

“Mom, just…enough. You’re being ridiculous now. I don’t need you setting me up with men. I don’t need more criticism about the way I dress, my job, or how I’m not living up to your expectations. Jesus, do you love me for me or not?”

“Of course I love you,” her mother snapped. “You’re as annoying as I am when I do things my own way. Or so your father says.”

Hope paused, not having heard that one before.

“You can be a real bitch, Hope. And I say that with love.” Linda sighed, all the fight seeming to seep out of her. “It’s a Donnigan family trait, you know, to think you know what’s best for everyone. Oh, I know what you’re thinking. Your father’s not like that. But he is. He’s just subtler about it.”

“Maybe, but he doesn’t make me feel like I’m stupid for doing things my own way. I have to make my own mistakes, Mom.”

“It’s just that you’ve made so many of them so often,” Linda murmured.

“Oh! That’s my point! You’re always throwing my boyfriends or my job in my face. Honestly? I like working for Cam, but it’s not my dream job. I don’t have a dream job. Someday I’d like to get married and have a family. That’s my dream job.”

“I know.”

“And that’s okay, because that’s who I am. I’m not you.”

“I know.”

But Hope was on a roll. “There is absolutely nothing wrong with J.T. He’s the first guy in a long time I actually like. He’s funny and smart. And he treats me well.”

“It’s about time.”

“Yes, it is. He’s not rich. I don’t know how much money he makes, if you want the truth. But I don’t care.”

“You should.”

“Why? You raised me to be an independent woman. I have a job. I buy my own clothes, rent my own apartment. Why do I need a man to buy me things?”

Linda frowned. “You don’t. But he should pull his own weight. Do you have any idea how many friends I have who do everything? Janice has been working her ass off for twenty years, all so her louse of a husband can sit on his sorry butt and pretend to be looking for work. It’s a joke.”

“Yeah, and it’s on Janice for putting up with it. I admit some of my exes weren’t great, but I know that now. It helps that I have someone so sweet to show me the difference.” Sweet? Well, J.T. treated her like…a queen, actually. Something to think about—in addition to the fact that she was as bothered about her mother dissing J.T. as she was about her mother getting on her case.

“I’m happy for you if you are, I guess.” Linda shrugged. “But this thing with him seems sudden.”

“It’s a recent relationship. We just clicked.” Truth. “Each of us is accepting the other person, Mom. I’m not trying to make him into Dad, and he’s not trying to make me his next baby’s mother,” she teased.

“You do realize I couldn’t care less if he’s black, white, red, or purple. Your significant other should have decent employment and a need to better himself. Trust me.”

“Oh my God, Mom. I’m not with J.T. for his money. I like him.”

“You can’t like a man who can support you?”

“I support myself,” she growled, feeling like a broken record.

“Well, I admit I like this one more than the others. He was polite and dressed nicely, I suppose. I mean, I didn’t see any holes or stains on his clothing.”

Hope wanted to beat her head against the table. “Why weren’t you like this with Ava or Zoe?”

“I didn’t have to be. Ava has ‘Dr.’ in front of her name. And when I learned about Zoe’s big job in the medical clinic, where your father has a few friends, I was satisfied. Both of them are lovely women. They found good men in your brothers. But frankly, Ava and Zoe aren’t my daughters. You are.”

Linda sighed. “I know you think I’m a snob, and maybe I am. But your father and I spent years working to provide for this family. You take for granted having food and a nice place to live. We didn’t have that—all this—for a long time. And there’s no way I’m going back to the way it was.”

“So you’re saying if Dad turned poor tomorrow, you’d leave him?”

“That is not what I said,” Linda snapped. “I’m trying to have a discussion with you, but you’re so difficult.”

“I’m just like you.”

“Please. I’m trying to tell you that while I think you have your heart in the right place, you’re not hearing what I’m saying.”

Hope prayed J.T. was faring better with her dad.

“Linda? Hope?” Her father frowned at them from the doorway of the kitchen. “Are you two okay?”

Make that, faring better with her brothers.

* * *

“So let me get this straight. Three weeks ago, you catch my sister kicking Greg’s ass.”

J.T. nodded to Landon. “Yep.”

“Man, I’d have loved to have seen that,” Gavin said.

“It was pretty amazing. She’s wearing this pink gown, and she’s looking all pretty and girlie. Then Greg puts his hand on her. I was two steps from tossing him down the hill when she put a hurt on him.” J.T. grinned. “Epic.”

“And he was bothering her why? I thought they broke up months ago.”

“You mean, after you two pounded him at Ray’s? Yeah, I heard. Everyone heard about the two yuppies taking up for their sister. I hadn’t realized it was you two until Rena mentioned Hope’s name.”

“Wait. Yuppies?” Landon frowned.

“They call everyone who doesn’t hang at Ray’s ‘yuppies.’” J.T. shrugged. “Anyway, according to Greg, someone trashed his car, and he thought it was you two.”

Gavin shook his head. “Why did Greg think it was us?”

“He said someone left him a note. I don’t know any more. I didn’t ask him any questions.”

Landon and Gavin exchanged a look. “Thinking we should go talk to Greg again.”

“Good luck.” J.T. noticed that the yelling in the other room had died down at the same time Van had left. “What’s up with your dad? He’s so polite and nice. And he cooks like a god. Are you guys adopted?”

Gavin and Theo cracked up.

Landon sighed. “You’d think. I’m probably more like my mom. Gavin’s like Dad. And Theo… He was adopted.”

Theo rolled his eyes. Considering the guy looked like a carbon copy of his old man, no one was believing that one.

Landon stepped closer. “But now that we have some space to talk about it, what the hell are you doing with my sister?” Next to him, Gavin appeared relaxed, his arms crossed over his chest, but the look in his eyes told J.T. not to stir up too much around these two.

So the obvious answer to the question—anything the fuck I want—wouldn’t work in this situation. He settled on the truth instead. “I have no idea.” When Landon frowned, he tried to explain. “Your sister has issues with your mom.”

“Tell us something we don’t know,” Theo muttered.

“But that’s got nothing to do with me. I like Hope. A lot. She’s beautiful, intelligent, and she’s fun to be with.” He shrugged. “She and I enjoy each other. What’s the problem?”

“The problem is that you’re known to be a bit of a man-whore,” Landon said.

“He means ladies’ man,” Gavin said, as if to soften the blow. “Our sister’s been through a lot, and we don’t want to see her hurt.”

“Yeah? What if she hurts me?”

“Not our problem.” Landon didn’t blink, his stare direct and intimidating.

But though J.T. liked to keep the peace, he didn’t tolerate threats well. “Yeah? Well, you take one more step, and I’ll make you my problem.”

Before Landon could move, and he looked as if he intended to, Gavin stepped between them. “Great talk, guys.”

“For the record,” J.T. added in a growl, “I am not and never have been a man-whore.”

Landon raised a brow but moved back when Gavin pushed him. “That’s not what your sister says.”

Friggin’ Del. “She was trying to be funny. Look, not that it’s any of your business, but I don’t mess around. One woman at a time. I date a lot. That’s not a crime. But I’m up front about what I want, and if the girl isn’t into it, we don’t date. Hope and I are on the same page.” It was on the tip of his tongue to tell them the relationship was a fraud, but he couldn’t do it. “How about respecting her choices and letting her deal? She’s a grown woman, guys. Not like I’m robbing the cradle or anything.”

“Oh, that’s nice,” Hope said from behind him.

He froze.

Her brothers grinned, Landon looking way too amused, to J.T.’s way of thinking.

“Come on, J.T. We’re out of here.” She stormed by him to the door.

He moved to follow and stopped when Landon put a hand on his arm. J.T. had had just about enough of Hope’s high-handed brother. “You don’t move that hand, I will end you, motherfu—”

“Save it.” In a lower voice, Landon said, “You watch out for her, okay? We’re going to look into this situation. But you keep her safe. You need anything, call us.”

J.T. relaxed. “Yeah, I will. Cam’s looking out for her at work.”

Landon released him.

Gavin glanced at Hope by the door and whispered to J.T., “If we didn’t know Hope would throw a hissy, we’d babysit her until this thing is over. But it’s better if you’re with her. She won’t give you as much grief.” He paused. “Then again, you did basically call her an old hag. So good luck with that.”

“What? I did not.”

“J.T., let’s go. Please.” Hope sounded annoyed.

Theo shook his head. “It was nice knowing you.”

“Tell your parents I said goodbye, would you?”

Gavin nodded.

“We’ll talk to you soon,” Landon promised.

“I can’t wait.” He left Gavin and Theo laughing and joined Hope at the door.

They left in silence and continued not speaking on the drive back to her place. He didn’t know what to say. She seemed a bit sad, angry, and—

“Well, that went well.”

He parked alongside the street and turned to see her smile. “So you’re okay?” Relieved at her mood and ignoring how much it meant to him that she be happy, he waited.

“I’m not great, but tonight went as expected.”

They left the car and headed up to her apartment.

“Your mom bought that we’re an item?”

“Yep.” The sparkle in her eyes told him to stop worrying. “For a minute there, I worried. You went off script.” She slugged him in the arm, and he pretended it hurt to satisfy her.

“Ow.”

“Oh, please. Your arm is a rock. Like your head,” she muttered as they stepped through the entryway and locked up behind them. “I’m sorry if my brothers gave you a tough time. You didn’t tell them we were faking, did you?”

Faking? “What? Orgasms? Are you telling me those weren’t real?” He loved her blush.

“Stop. I meant that we’re not exactly dating.”

“Not exactly, hmm?” He stalked her, amused that she backed up until she hit the wall. Then he leaned over her, one arm braced next to her head. “So we’re not dating. We’re just, what?” He noted her quickened pulse, the rapid rise and fall of her chest. “Have I told you how much I love your work clothes?”

She wore another of those pencil skirts that hit her knees and a silk tank. This time, she’d left off the jacket, and he liked the way the shirt molded to her breasts.

“Um, J.T.?”

“Yeah?” He continued to lean against the wall over her, and placed a hand on her waist. They both shuddered at the contact. She felt so warm under that silk. He trailed a hand up her side and curved it over her breast. The nipple was hard, and he rubbed this thumb over it, back and forth, and saw her eyes darken. The notion she might want to call it all off since they’d done what they’d set out to do scared him.

“I, ah, thanks for being there tonight.” She licked her lips.

“Sure.” The thought of them being done unnerved him to the point he had to have her. Right now. Some way to convince her to continue the charade. Just until he’d had enough, whenever that would be.

He kissed her, burning with a need to take her taste inside him. So close, the scent of her hit him hard, light perfume and sultry woman mixing to bring him to his knees. He pulled her closer, feeling all those wonderful curves against his solid frame.

She moaned and wound her hands around his neck, brushing his nape with gentle fingers and driving him insane.

He was glad he’d brought condoms, because he had a feeling they’d need a lot more than one tonight. Though he’d been inside her just that morning, he felt as if he’d gone years without her, so hungry he couldn’t wait.

J.T. unfastened his pants and pushed his underwear down. Her hot little hands grabbed him, and he moaned, kissing her hungrily as she stroked him. He ran his lips across her cheek to her ear and whispered, “I want you so much.” He nibbled her earlobe, heard her moan, and pushed against her palms. “Let me inside a few times? I want to feel you skin to skin. Then I’ll put on a condom. Okay?”

She nodded, and he didn’t know if she’d really heard him, busy as she was, shimmying out of her panties.

He hiked up her skirt so she had room to move. Then he yanked her off her feet, against the wall, and positioned himself at her sex. “Lock those ankles behind my back. Oh yeah, feel me.”

“J.T.” She arched her head back, and he latched on to her throat as he slowly pushed into her slick heat.

“Fuck.” He wanted to ram deep, to fill her up and keep on fucking. Hope Donnigan was a dream he probably didn’t deserve, but one a greedy man would take. “Feel me deep inside you, baby. So hot. God, I could stay here forever.” But he couldn’t, because he needed to move.

“You’re so big,” she gasped and gyrated against him, pushing him out so he could surge deeper.

They both moaned, and she kissed him again, drawing him closer. Her scent enveloped him. Her hands were busy around his neck, on his shoulders, like a kitten kneading his muscles, leaving her mark with each touch.

He knew he needed to stop and use protection, knew it was stupid to go bareback at all despite her being on the pill. But hell if he could think while surrounded by her wet heat.

Hope was grinding against him, now grabbing at his shoulders, trying to get closer. “More,” she panted. “Harder.”

He powered into her, loving that she wanted all he had to give. His cock felt huge, and the burning need to possess her boiled up from inside him. When she seized around him, crying out, clamping those ankles tight, he nearly lost control.

“Yes, yes,” she whispered, her head thrown back as she jerked against his hips.

So much heat surrounding him, so much suction pulling him closer. He was going to come so hard.

With seconds to spare, he pulled out of her and pressed against her belly, releasing all over her. The climax left him breathless and dizzy, and he continued to spend as she kissed his cheek, his neck, and ran greedy fingers over his chest.

“Hope,” he groaned, realizing what might have happened if he hadn’t pulled out. What could have already happened if he’d come at all before he’d withdrawn. Jesus, but he wanted so badly to come deep inside her.

The ecstasy continued to drug him, letting him bask in the bliss of Hope. Worries and regrets could come later. Now he had a handful of condoms to put to use, and one sexy woman to destroy in bed.

* * *

Hope stared into J.T.’s face, knowing she’d never seen anything more beautiful than her man in climax. And that, right there, should have warned her to be wary. Those her man thoughts. My boyfriend. Pretending tonight had been way too easy, because she’d felt possessive and wanted to defend him. Not for her, but for him. Because everyone should know how amazing J.T. truly was.

But the dangerous sex they’d had… What if he hadn’t pulled out when he had? What if he’d already come inside her before pulling out? The chance for pregnancy was almost nil, but what if…? A baby would be a disaster. And she still wanted to do it again. With him inside her. Their loving, so close, a part of each other, had been special.

And stupid, she kept trying to tell herself. Though the timing wasn’t right for a baby, her birth control wouldn’t be completely effective for at least a few more days. And even then she’d want to use the pill as backup for his condoms. She didn’t worry about disease with him, but she did worry about pregnancy. As much as she dreamed about having them, she wanted marriage and a husband first, babies and a family second.

That the notion of accidental pregnancy didn’t have her shrieking and running for cover told her she had it bad for J.T. Once again, falling for the wrong kind of guy.

But was he wrong?

He cupped her face and kissed her, the moment so tender it brought tears to her eyes.

“I owe you a new shirt,” he teased as he pulled away. “And I’m sorry I lost it.” He sighed. “I have no excuse. Next time, condom. I swear. You just get me so hot so fast…”

“I know. I should have insisted you wear it.”

“Yeah, it’s all your fault.” He huffed. “Because I have no control around you.” He took her hand and wrapped it around his cock, now wet with his seed. “This is all yours, baby. I just had you, and I want more. So much more,” he said, his voice low. He kissed her, and she couldn’t help squeezing him, feeling his heartbeat in the thick shaft.

When they parted, she stared into his soulful eyes, seeing a deeper affection there she hoped she wasn’t imagining. “Bedroom.”

He nodded.

They made their way to her bedroom, stripped and cleaned up, then lay on the bed, totally naked, open with each other. J.T. lay back and had her straddle him, setting her over his upper thighs, not quite meshing their parts together.

“If you’re too close to my cock, I swear I’ll end up sliding up into you, and then we’ll have another accidental no-condom situation.” He groaned. “I’m trying, but I can’t not react, seeing you naked on top of me. You have any idea how many times I’ve jacked off to this image?”

She blushed and grinned. “Yeah? Me too.”

His eyes widened. “Ah.” He swallowed.

“That’s it? Just ‘ah’?”

“Hold on. My brain stopped working.” He smiled at her laughter and raised his big hands to cup her breasts. “These are nice and big. A surprise on a girl your size.”

“Hey, I’m tall.”

He snorted. “You keep thinking that. But honey, your body is rockin’. You make a man want sex. A few kisses, and more sex. I try to be all sophisticated and modern thinking, but when I see you like this, all I can think of is how many ways can I plow that pussy?”

She frowned. “Crude.” And sadly, such a turn-on.

“I know.” He huffed. “I’m trying here.” He massaged her breasts, and she soon forgot to be annoyed. “So pretty.” He pulled her down to lie on top of him, but instead of going right for sex, he stroked her hair and talked to her. “I’m still not sure how we got here.”

She laughed. “Me too. So confusing.”

“I mean, I know I’ve wanted to do you forever, but I never thought it would become a reality. Between us being practically related through a few marriages, you being perky, blond, and all prom queen, and me being a big, black badass more comfortable in a bar like Ray’s than in a Starbucks, I’d say it’s still a mystery.”

She tugged at his chest hair.

“Hey. Easy, baby.”

“A few things you should know. Yes, I realize you’re black. African American.”

He grinned. “Black is fine, because black is beautiful. Although technically I’m also white, and maybe Portuguese, on my mom’s dad’s side, I think. So you figure it out.”

“What you are is annoying,” she muttered. “And beautiful and arrogant. Now shut up and let me talk.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“I don’t know how we got here either. We obviously share some serious attraction.”

“I’ll say. I’ve never before been with a chick where my dick buzzed every time I’m around her. I swear, it’s like a compass always wanting to point in your direction.”

She laughed. “Okay, that’s funny. And I’m more than happy to be your guide.” She kissed his chest. “Inside me, for starters.”

“Hell yeah.” He kept petting her hair, and she swore she felt him kiss the top of her head. The tender action brought tears to her eyes, which was just silly.

“We’re not really dating, because we don’t want to rock the boat with your sister and my cousins.”

He paused stroking her hair, then continued. “Right.”

“And it was all just to fool my mom, who bought that we’re a couple.”

“Uh-huh.”

She leaned up so she could watch his expressions. “But I don’t think we should stop yet.”

“No?”

She shook her head. “I mean, to really sell this, we should probably keep going out. Or at least let people think we’re still dating.”

“No, you’re right. If we don’t at least look like we’re dating, it won’t seem real.”

“Yes. Exactly. So we keep doing this—us together—for a while. I’m not seeing anyone else, and I know you aren’t.”

“Nope.”

“But when you decide you want to go out with someone, you let me know, and we’ll stage a fake breakup. Nothing too dramatic, but something final.”

“Sure. Okay.” He stared at her face and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. “You are just so pretty. I mean, like, deep-down gorgeous. When you smile, I see you. The real you. I have to draw you, Hope. Will you let me?”

“Like this? Naked?”

His eyes crinkled. “No. You can wear clothes…if you have to. But I want this, your joy. You shine when you’re happy, you know? It’s like you bring out the sun, and I get all warm, basking in you.”

She’d never had a guy say anything even half that poetic to her. “Wow.”

He flushed. “Sorry. Sounds corny, right? But you make me that way.”

“And here I thought I just made you hard.”

He chuckled. “You do. But you bring out the softer parts of me too.” He brought her down for a kiss that rocked her, because it expressed so much. Passionate, caring, sexual. J.T. aroused much more than her body.

She understood why so many women wanted a piece of him. And why it would hurt so much when he left. But she couldn’t force herself to give him up. Not yet. Instead, she’d let him bask in her sunlight, and she’d revel in the rush of sensation from his touch.