Watch Me Fall (Ross Siblings, #5)(47)

His phone took that damned moment to ring, and worse, it was Shelly’s ring. Which most likely meant Mia. With the power being out, he knew right where this was headed.

He dropped his head to Starla’s shoulder, gently pulling his hand from her though she mewled in protest. “That would be my daughters.”

“Oh.”

“Shit.”

She laughed, but there was a sad quality to it. He could understand. He wanted to cry. “Go ahead,” she urged. “Be a good dad.”

Wincing, he stuffed himself back in his jeans and grabbed the phone while Starla began blindly searching for her own clothes. As soon as he answered, Mia started babbling, but he caught the gist: Daddy, the power’s out, Ashley’s scared, she’s such a baby (No I’m NOT!), whatever, we’re bored, can we come stay with you tonight?

They knew he had a generator, and any other time, he would already have it fired up by now. “I’ll come get you,” he told her, cramming the heel of one hand into his eye.

“Yay! Bye.” And she was gone as fast as she’d shown up.

Forcing himself to gently set his phone down on the coffee table lest he wrench it to pieces and fling it across the room was a struggle, but he managed. He put a hand on Starla’s leg to still her movements. “Hang on, and I’ll get you some light.”

“Oh. Okay.”

“Not that I wouldn’t love to keep you naked right here in the dark.”

“Are you sure you don’t have time…?” She left the question hanging, and yeah, he was facing a serious case of blue balls, still so hard it hurt. It wouldn’t take long… Jared released a shuddering breath as her hand snaked its way back down his abs, but he gently caught her wrist. Getting his dick sucked while his kids were waiting on him to rescue them from a dark house just seemed wrong.

“It’s okay, darlin’,” he told her, and gave the back of her hand a consolatory kiss. He had to get away from her before he gave in. “Hang on.”

Movement helped somewhat. From years of habit, he was able to get to the kitchen and the drawer with the flashlight. Then it was out the back door and into the rain, a steady patter that was the equivalent of a cold shower on his overheated bare skin, hitting him like needles. The worst of the storm seemed to have moved on, though—too bad he couldn’t say the same for the one in his body.

***

As soon as the living room lights came on, Starla surged upward to find her bra and shirt, unwilling for him to find her half-naked on his couch when he’d just turned her down. In fact, she was unwilling for him to find her on his couch at all, so she retreated to the bathroom to repair whatever damage that session had done to her hair and makeup.

It was okay. She understood, but she was disappointed all the same. Her mind and her body had been ready to spend the rest of the night in his bed. They’d been ready for more orgasms like that one. Many more. Now that his kids were coming, she’d be spending it at home, alone, with the leech in the next room. It would be all the worse if their own power was out. They didn’t have a generator. She knew better than to even ask if Jared would still be willing for her to spend the night with him now that his daughters were coming over.

She got it. She did. But still. Fuck. The man was so talented with his tongue. Her internal muscles quivered, ready for more, so much more. Her panties were wet from her own desire and from his mouth. The mirror showed her cheeks were flushed, her neck and chest splotchy. It was almost f*cking embarrassing how much she wanted him, and she spent so much time splashing water on her face trying to cool off that he finally tapped on the door.

“Starla? You okay?”

No. She wasn’t. But she dried her face and opened the door anyway, unable to look up at him. She needed a cigarette. “Sorry, I know we need to go. Yeah, I’m fine.”

His knuckle nudged under her chin and lifted her face to his. As she was forced to meet his incredible, invading blue eyes, her knees almost gave out. “You are so beautiful, and I’m so sorry. I’ll make this up to you.”

“No,” she said, surprised at the note of desperate longing in her voice, unable to keep it out. “Don’t make it up to me. See me because you want to, not because you think you should.”

“If you think I don’t want to,” he rasped, “you haven’t been paying attention.” Then his mouth descended on hers, and she tasted herself, and her knees did give out.





Chapter Fourteen



He took her to Dermamania, where her car still waited in the parking lot, and kissed her good-bye until she almost staggered when she finally climbed down from his truck, knees still weak and rubbery from the strength of his lips. The storm had passed on, leaving puddles and a clean, summery scent in the air. Grinning like a fool, Starla slammed the door and waved, warmed on the inside when he didn’t drive away as she walked the short distance to her car.

So he was still there watching when she found the note clamped under her windshield wiper.

Only one word, stark black and ten feet tall on the white paper. WHORE. The ink had bled outward in the rainwater, but it was easily decipherable.

Jared was at her back before she even realized it, taking it from her as if he didn’t want her to be subjected to that word one second longer. The expression on his face could have been carved out of granite, hard and unforgiving. “Sonofabitch.”