Chapter 7

Holy shit. What the hell happened to turning over a new leaf? What happened to proudly crowning herself the new Ms. Self-Control? Ms. Concentrate on the New Career? She blew out a frustrated hiss of what the hell is wrong with me through clenched teeth. The damn leaf she’d turned over had spontaneously combusted into Ms. Give It to Me Now, better known as I Don’t Give Two Shits—Take Me! Dammit. Dammit. Dammit.

Joanna stared down at her feet as they walked back to the bed-and-breakfast. One step at a time. Left foot. Right foot. She had no idea what to say, so it was best just to watch the reflective toe tips of her running shoes and get back to her room as quickly as possible. Alone. Keep. Mouth. Shut.

Her room. Her traitorous body flashed hot at the possibilities. Joanna grit her teeth. Stop it. Wasn’t the woods enough? Actually, it wasn’t. The pleasing array of orally induced orgasms had served quite nicely as an erotic appetizer, but now every nerve ending she possessed was ready for the main course. This was playing with fire and she’d sworn she wasn’t going to do that anymore. Now here she was, ready to strike the match that would either ignite the potentially best relationship she’d ever had or incinerate her precariously reconstructed plans for the future.

Damage control. This calls for damage control. “You’re not joining the tour again tomorrow, are you?” She had to either convince Grant to back out or piss him off—either choice would guarantee that as soon as they reached the inn, he’d leave—like stand-on-the-porch-and-not-even-enter-the-inn leave. He did not, under any circumstances, need to walk her to the door of her room.

If he did, she could pretty much guarantee that Grant was going to think he’d hit pay dirt and was about to be blessed with an entire evening in the company of the founder and chief operating officer of “Sluts-R-Us.” He’d have quite the opinion of her to pass on to his brothers.

She picked up the pace and smiled over at Grant, who seemed as preoccupied with the situation as she was. “I know Hazel and her cronies came up with that scheme to keep us together under their watch, but you do know you don’t have to play along with the oldsters, right?”

“They’re expectin’ me,” Grant said quietly, avoiding Joanna’s gaze as he waited for her to pass so he could lock the chain gate back across the path. “By not tellin’ them I wouldna be there, I more or less gave them m’word that I would. I canna go back on it now.”

“I’m sure they’d be fine if you didn’t show up,” Joanna said with as much reassurance and certainty as she could muster. She had to convince him to blow them off. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to spend the next two days with him. The problem was she wanted to very much—and the nights as well, and those feelings scared the living shit out of her. No way could they go back to their playful flirting after what had just happened in the woods.

She needed some room to get her head back on straight. Get some breathing room and build up some antibodies against his highly addictive touch. She paused on the porch, purposely hanging back while Grant held open the door to Miss Martha’s B&B. “I’ll tell them a business issue came up that only you could handle and that you send your heartfelt apologies. How ’bout that?”

“We are goin’ t’yer room t’finish this,” Grant said, his voice deep and low, his gaze locked with hers.

“Why?”

“Ye ken why, well enough, I’m sure.” Grant’s eyes narrowed. If possible, his stare grew even hotter. “Now ye can either walk to yer room under yer own steam or I’ll be more than happy t’carry ye.”

Oh shit. You carry me and this’ll be the first multi-orgasmic staircase in Brady. She sure as hell couldn’t tell him that. He’d take it as a freakin’ dare.

“I don’t have…” Joanna paused as a pair of late-arriving out-of-towners with suitcases in tow walked past them. She cleared her throat and gave him a look that she hoped he’d understand. “I don’t have the…uhm…articles…required for our meeting.” Believe it or not, I’m not like a teenage boy in heat. I don’t carry condoms everywhere I go.

“Mistress Martha has a wee necessities gift shop for personal items travelers might need.” Grant nodded toward the check-in desk, then pointed at the floor between Joanna’s feet. “Wait here.”

Thank God these running pants are black. Grant had made her so wet with “wait here,” she’d soaked them. She glanced at her watch. What the hell was she thinking? It was getting late and she had to mentally spar all day tomorrow with the gangster grannies.

Grant reappeared in the entryway, a pleased-with-himself smile on his face and a small brown paper bag in one hand.

An expectant shiver starting at Joanna’s core arced and spread like erotic lightning. Ms. Give It to Me Now was back in all her lusting glory. Who cared how late it was? She turned and darted up the staircase, taking the steps two at a time. A flicker of guilt, the faintest shadow of remorse, swept across her as she twisted her room key in the door, pushed it open, then stood staring at the twin-sized bed littered with the contents of her backpack. I’ve got no self-control. If this goes bad…

The door lock clicked behind her. The room was so quiet, she swore she heard Grant draw in a deep breath. The uppermost branches of the oak tree outside her windows rattled against the glass, tapping out a hypnotizing Morse code as the tree danced with the wind. Grant was standing close behind her. She was keenly aware of him, feeling his presence like an energy that was about to wrap around her and squeeze. She felt everything. The heat of him. His pending touch. The pleasure about to ensue.

“She did put bars on the windows,” Grant said. “She said she would do it just t’vex them and stop their yammerin’. Said it would save her on the insurance but still stay as she wanted.”

“What?” Joanna turned and faced Grant. “What the hell are you talking about?”

Grant nodded and pointed to the double windows on the other side of the attic room, set back in their own alcove with a padded and pillowed bench beneath them to create a cozy little nook. “Mistress Martha said her insurance company was givin’ her fits over lettin’ this room in the attic when the windowpanes werena sealed for safety’s sake. She wanted her renters t’be able to open the window when they wished for a bit of fresh air. Said she’d put iron bars on the windows afore she’d seal the panes. Looks as though she did it.”

“Oh.” Joanna glanced at the windows. “I hadn’t really paid any attention.”

Grant walked over to the window seat. He tossed the small bag of condoms over on the bench. Keeping his back to Joanna, he slowly unwound his kilt, sliding it away layer by layer until he stood naked looking out the window. The soft yellow light from the bedside lamp turned his skin a mesmerizing gold. Shadows played across his rippling muscles, flexing and receding as though warming up. He dropped the kilt to the floor, turned around, and lowered himself to the seat. He sat with legs widespread and his impressive erection standing at full attention. “We need t’finish what we started in the wood. Do ye no’ agree?”

Joanna didn’t say a word, didn’t trust herself to speak. She moved forward, sliding her fingers under the hem of her shirt and wadding it in her hands to pull it off over her head.

“Stop.”

Grant’s deep voice and his primal brogue froze Joanna in place.

“Come here t’me,” he ordered, hand extended. “Ye may remove yer shoes and socks, but I wish t’disrobe ye m’self.”

A tingling shiver thrilled its way through her. She was so not used to being the aggressee instead of the aggressor. She liked sex and had never had any qualms about asking for what she wanted. This was…different…and titillating. Joanna kicked off her running shoes, pulled off her socks, and padded closer.

Grant hooked his thumbs in the waistband of her pants and, while looking up into her eyes, slowly slid them down to her knees. “Hold my shoulders and step out of them.”

Drowning in the silvery blue of Grant’s eyes, Joanna did as she was told.

Grant tossed her pants aside, then, placing his hands on her inner thighs, he gently pressed outward. “Now spread yer legs for me, lass.”

Her breath catching in her throat, Joanna slid her feet apart until Grant stopped her.

Bowing his head, he bent forward, fully licked her clit, then softly blew on her already soaking wet parts while tickling his fingertips up and down the inside of her thighs.

With every upsweep of Grant’s touch between her legs, Joanna tensed and trembled, praying he’d run those fingers a little higher and sink them into her. Head back, eyes closed, she held on to his shoulders to keep from weaving off balance. A paper bag rattled. Then cellophane. Joanna smiled, unconsciously clenching her ass and rolling to the balls of her feet in anticipation.

Grant rested one hand on the small of her back and stood. “Keep yer eyes closed,” he whispered as he slid against her. Skin to hot, flushed skin.

Again, Joanna obeyed, her hands still resting on Grant’s shoulders.

Grant’s arm tightened around her waist; his hard, muscular thigh spread her legs farther apart. “Not a word either, love. Not until I say, aye?”

Joanna nodded, her clit about to explode with every prodding nudge of Grant’s engorged cock. She’d already fully slicked the condom with her juices as Grant took his erection in one hand and with slow, teasing strokes, rubbed it up and down her inner thighs and across her wet slit. Impatience. The ache for release quickly made her forget her promise. “Please…now…”

“I said not a word, ye ken?”

As soon as she nodded, he lifted her up, hugged her to his chest, and slipped his cock inside her. A groan escaped as she clenched him with her thighs and wrapped her legs around his waist.

“Not a word, lass. Hear me well, for I mean what I say.” Grant spoke in a low, rasping growl, squeezing her ass with both hands, his cock buried inside her. “If ye speak or cry out, I’ll bring ye to the brink a thousand times but ne’er let ye come.”

Joanna nuzzled the side of Grant’s throat, reveling in his salty-sweet taste. So many sensations. So many delights. She quickly nodded. Silence was a small price to pay for this long-denied first-class ride.

Holding Joanna tight, Grant lowered himself to sit on the window bench. He leaned back slightly and with a quick, startling move, stripped Joanna’s shirt away and did the same with her running bra. He squeezed the cheeks of her ass again and slightly lifted himself up from the bench with this pumping move, his cock thrust so deep, Joanna shuddered and trembled with another moan.

He trailed his hands up her sides and took hold of both her nipples, lightly twisting them between his fingers and thumbs. Sparks of deliciously enjoyable pain zipped out from Joanna’s tender buttons and radiated throughout her body. “Yer a stubborn lass and ye dinna listen well. Hush now and do as I say, m’love. I swear t’ye—I’ll make yer silence worth it.” He tweaked her nipples once more, then reverently cupped her breasts and squeezed. “Ye may answer me with words so that I know ye understand.”

“I understand,” Joanna panted, then shuddered with a greedy wiggle on his lap.

Grant kissed the tops of her breasts, cuddled them both against his cheeks, then returned his talented hands to their delicious task of squeezing her ass and working their massaging magic up and down her thighs. “Nay, lass. Ye must remain still as well.”

Holy shit. Quiet AND still?

“Open yer eyes and look at me, Joanna.”

Joanna forced her eyes open, biting her lip and tensing to keep from coming and melting into a quivering puddle of satisfied bliss.

“Ye must hold but a bit longer, m’love, aye?”

Joanna agreed with a strained bobbing of her head.

Grant smiled, then treated her to a chaste, caring kiss across the seam of her mouth. While nibbling his way down to suck her right nipple deep in his mouth, he slid a hand between their bodies and began a slow, tantalizing massage of Joanna’s clitoris.

Joanna dug her nails into Grant’s shoulders. He hadn’t made her swear she wouldn’t claw him up during this process. Let’s see if he could stay quiet while she did that.

After thoroughly sucking Joanna’s right nipple until she thought she’d surely have to violate the silent-and-no-movement agreement, Grant rocked back and arched his hips upward. “Ye may hang on to the bars and ride for a wee bit, mo ghaol tòidheach, my fiery love. But ye still must not come or cry out until I give ye leave.”

Bars. Ride. Quiet. Hell yes. Joanna leaned forward, grabbed hold of the sturdy iron bars that the delightful Miss Martha had installed in a fit of rage, and rocked hard and fast. Oh shit. Can’t do that. I’ll come for sure. She froze.

“If ye come, I’ll be sorely displeased with ye.”

Joanna vehemently shook her head. When she made a deal, she damn well kept it.

Grant smiled, pulled downward on her nipples at the same time, then kissed both her breasts. He slid his hands down to her ass, spread her cheeks, and thrust upward hard. “Aye, lass. We’re matched well, you and I,” he whispered. “Soon,” he promised. “I swear t’ye. My control canna take much more.”

Thank God for that! Joanna released the bars and spread her hands across Grant’s chest. This couldn’t be a mistake. Anything this good couldn’t be all bad. Right? Yes. Abso-fuckin-lutely right. She grinned at the wicked thought, leaned down, and branded Grant with a claiming kiss of her own. Then she seductively stretched, arched her back, and started rocking. Yeah…she was supposed to sit still, but this cock was made for motion. Damnation. Best ride in the park.

Suddenly, Grant stood, one arm under her ass to keep her well fitted down on his cock, the other arm around her shoulders. “Even though ye cheated a wee bit…” Grant slowly lowered her to the floor, then propped his hands on either side of her head. “ ’Tis time, lass,” he whispered, low and deadly. “I mean t’claim ye. Claim ye for m’verra own. Yer mine, lass. Mine alone.”

Claim. His. Hell. Yes. Joanna raked her fingernails down Grant’s sides and arched her back, struggling to pant out words into coherent sentences. “The bed. I can clear it. Yes? Easier on the knees.”

Grant took hold of Joanna’s wrists and pinned them to the floor over her head. “M’knees dinna cause me concern.” He leaned down, nuzzled the side of her face, then spoke in a tone strained and rasping with slipping control. “Now, love. ’Tis time. Forevermore yer mine.”

And then he pounded and drove into Joanna with a force and passion she’d never known.

Her world exploded in sensory bliss. Wave upon wave of excruciating pleasure washed across her as Grant hammered harder and drove deeper with a rumbling growl.

World spinning, Joanna gave herself over to mind-numbing ecstasy, coming hard, then coming again in rapid succession. Off in the distance, Joanna thought she heard a scream. A familiar scream. Then she realized why the scream sounded so familiar.

It was hers.