“I’ve missed you,” River said. He moved up behind her and placed his hands on her hips, but she stiffened.
Jeanette turned and stared up at River. The dark look in his eyes sent a small thrill of anticipation through her. But his words stopped her short. “You missed me? That’s it?”
His lips thinned, and a muscle in his jaw twitched. “What do you mean?”
“You really think I’m supposed to fling myself into your arms and let you have your way, don’t you?” Damn him, Jeanette was ready to do just that too.
The song changed to a faster beat, and she breathed a sigh of relief that the sultry tune was no longer playing. But as she studied him, his silent intensity washed over and seeped into her. His eyes were dark with green fire. She could see and feel what he wanted so clearly in her mind. His body covering hers, entering hers, their passions mounting and dueling. But was that all he wanted? That was the bigger question.
“Come home with me. We need to talk, sunshine.”
Jeanette brought their bodies into contact, but just barely. She could smell his natural masculinity; it came off him in waves. It made her long to run her tongue over his beautiful, full lips.
Rising up on her tiptoes, she took a taste. He stood there, not touching her, as if not trusting himself enough to touch. So she touched him. Her fingers went to his hair. God, she loved his hair, so thick and full. She took handfuls of the soft dark strands and brought his head down for a better taste of his mouth. Without realizing it, Jeanette found herself in a secluded section of dance floor.
“Take what you want,” he murmured as he dropped his hands from her body and let her have free rein. Her hands moved from his hair to his face. She traced every hard contour and angle, then drifted downward to caress his chest and ripped abs. When she reached the waistband of his jeans, Jeanette stopped, unsure what to do, how far to go.
River groaned. “No one can see you. Continue,” he softly demanded.
When she cupped him through the soft fabric, his hips thrust forward. Suddenly, her hand was squished between their bodies. River said, “God, you make me crazy.”
She recognized that gravelly voice and craved it. They were both desperate for each other. Just as she was about to usher him out of there so she could get him alone, another voice broke the magical spell.
“Would you care to dance?”
She turned to decline the stranger’s offer, but River was quicker. “No, she wouldn’t.”
The man’s eyebrows quirked up at River’s immovable tone. “Uh, if it’s all the same to you, I’d like to hear the lady tell me that herself.”
“Thanks for the offer,” she said with a smile, “but I’m all danced out.”
“Another time, then.” He nodded and walked away.
Lucy appeared by her side and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “Reilly called. The babies are sound asleep. Quality time with my man is calling my name. We ready to go?”
The two of them nodded.
Lucy yawned. “Thank God, because I only have so many more hours left in me before it’s lights out.”
River couldn’t get Jeanette out of the nightclub quick enough. Once outside, he anchored her to his side with one strong arm around her waist. He’d recognized the man in the club. Roland Kent, and he was an ass. He’d screw anything that walked. He’d obviously taken one look at Jeanette and decided to make a play for her. What a fool.
She’d see a guy like that coming a mile away and put him in his place without even blinking. Never before had River felt such an overwhelming need to shout to the world that Jeanette belonged to him. His heart flinched at the prospect of ever hurting her. She wouldn’t appreciate the chauvinistic attitude. She wanted to be loved, not prized as if she were a thoroughbred.
Lucy and Jeanette started laughing about something, but River didn’t hear anything they said. The hot lava roaring through his veins blocked out everything else.
He took the ladies to Jeanette’s car and waited for them to get in. “Did you drink tonight?” he asked Jeanette. She shook her head, and River nodded. “I’ll follow you.”
Before she could close the door, he leaned in and kissed her. Her lips were soft and gentle, and River took his time tasting her. When they parted, he whispered, “Be careful.”
She didn’t speak, only stared at him as he closed her door and waited for her to start the engine.
Once they were on their way, River let out a breath. He loved her. Completely and undeniably. And tonight he wouldn’t hold back. In fact, before it was over, Jeanette would know all about Larry Briggs, the complete uncensored story. If she didn’t despise him, didn’t look at him with revulsion, River would count himself lucky.
He didn’t dare let himself hope for more than that.
Chapter Eleven
River waited until Jeanette was seated on the sofa in his apartment before he began. By the time he’d told her about the billy club, about swinging it at Larry’s head, tears filled Jeanette’s eyes. Sadness came off her in waves, and River couldn’t stand it. He’d never been able to handle sympathy, and he sure as hell didn’t want the woman he intended to spend the rest of his life with to look at him that way now. He wanted her to think of him as strong, able to handle whatever life threw at him. Pity was for chumps, and he wanted no part of it.