Joanna's Highlander (Highland Protector #2)(65)

“We canna have it all and I refuse to allow it!” Grant hurled his glass across the porch, finding some small satisfaction when it shattered against the bricks surrounding the fireplace. He grabbed the half-empty bottle of whisky, barreled across the room to Joanna, and scooped her up over his shoulder. “Ye willna go and take this job in Chicago. I will ne’er allow it!”

“Grant, you can’t—”

“The hell I can’t!” He settled her more firmly across his shoulder, then kicked open the French doors leading into the den. He took the stairs to the bedroom two at a time, then kicked open the bedroom door too. “Ye will see the sense of what I say and understand the foolishness of this…this…plan of yours.”

“You don’t understand. I have to do this and I can make it work.” Joanna squirmed to free herself. “Put me down and I’ll explain all the ways we can be in touch during the week while I’m gone.” She pounded a fist against his shoulder. “We can do this if you’ll just listen.”

“In touch,” Grant repeated. If she wanted touch, by the gods, he’d give touch to her. He kicked the bedroom door closed, held the mouth of the whisky bottle between his teeth, and turned the key in the lock. Yanking the key out of the door, he stretched and placed it on top of the door facing, well out of Joanna’s reach. Then he turned and strode across the room, slammed the whisky bottle down on the nightstand, and climbed into the huge four-poster bed with Joanna still across his shoulder.

“I’ll show ye touch until ye understand the true meaning of the word better than ye e’er have before.” He flipped her to the bed, lay across her, and covered her mouth with his.

As he deepened the kiss, the slight push of her hands against his shoulders gave him pause. Even in his inebriated state, he’d ne’er force himself upon her. But then her hands shifted, smoothing up his shoulders and around his neck. She pulled rather than pushed. Opened to him and accepted his kiss, giving back even more.

Grant settled more comfortably across her, stretching the length of her as she sank into the pillows. Her sweet whisky-flavored mouth inflamed him even more. She arched into him and wrapped one leg around his hips, grinding up against him.

Damn these clothes. Grant eased away just enough to unbutton Joanna’s blouse and unzip her jeans. Smoothing his hands around her warm, silky torso to the center of her back, he nimbly unfastened her bra and yanked it away.

“Let me help,” Joanna whispered against his lips.

“Should I trust ye no’ to run?” he growled against her throat. “Bear in mind, I’ve bolted the door and ye’ve no place t’go.”

“I have no intention of running,” Joanna said with a groan as he pulled one of her nipples deep into his mouth.

“Verra well then.” As soon as Grant raised himself up a bit, she wiggled her way out of her jeans and panties, then shimmied out of her blouse and her bra.

With Joanna finally naked beneath him, Grant knelt astraddle her body, pulled off his own shirt, and ripped away his kilt. Lowering himself to his elbows, he kicked off his boots and pushed them over the edge of the bed. A groan escaped him as he settled down between her legs, her wet hotness greeting him and making it impossible for him to wait. He slid into her, deep and hard. “I must have ye. Now,” he rasped with a tender nip of the soft skin just below her ear.

Joanna ground herself up into him, squeezing him with her thighs and pulling him harder into her with both hands cupping his ass. She bucked beneath him, panting hot and urgent against his lips. “More,” she pleaded. “Harder.”

Grant slowly eased his cock out until nothing but the engorged head remained inside her. He barely moved his hips from side to side, just enough to make Joanna squirm and whimper beneath him. He brought his face close to hers and barely bit and sucked at her bottom lip. “Open yer eyes, Joanna. Look at me and hear what I say.” He plunged in deep to the hilt, then pulled out again.

Joanna’s eyes flew open and she spread her legs wider, then locked her ankles across the small of his back and squeezed her thighs tighter around him, arching up and doing her level best to bury him back inside her. She bucked beneath him, frowning when he didn’t move.

“I’m listening,” she finally panted.

“I need us like this whene’er we wish—not just on weekends or holidays.” Flexing his hips, he thrust inside her two more times, grinding hard enough to make her writhe and moan. He struggled to hold his control. With her breasts pressed to his chest and her wet heat sucking him in deep and hard, all he wanted to do was pound his love home—literally. But he couldn’t. She had to see reason first. “I swear t’ye that ye’ll ne’er regret lettin’ me care for ye.”

“We can talk about it later. Just finish what you started.” She squirmed and dug her nails into the cheeks of his ass, trying to pull him inside her.

Grant thrust in deep and then stayed there. He kissed her hard, opening her mouth wider and drowning in the taste of her. Finally, he lifted his head and touched his nose to hers.

“I hope yer well-rested, lass,” he whispered against her lips. “Open yer eyes,” he said louder. “Joanna—open yer eyes.”

Head thrown back, Joanna opened her eyes and looked at him as he methodically pumped in then out, slow, then fast, light, then hard. “Harder,” she whispered over and over, her gaze still locked on his.