“Need a ride?” He winked.
Chapter Five
The SUV crunched over the gravel drive to Claire’s house and lurched to a stop. She cracked her eyelids, and through the slits she spied the cornfield surrounding her house on three sides. The field blazed golden in the late Sunday afternoon sun, welcoming her home.
Relief wrapped around her like a warm blanket. Not that chills were her problem. No. Being trapped in a car for twenty minutes with Jake had kept her plenty hot and more than a little bothered. She couldn’t wait to get out of his SUV and send him on his way back to town.
When she had climbed into his gas-guzzler, her brilliant plan had been to ignore him on the ride home. Things were crazy enough right now without adding her lustful thoughts about him to the mix. Too bad her scheme hadn’t worked
She’d given him directions to her house, leaned her head against the window of his black SUV and faked sleep to avoid talking. Rude, yes, but her options were limited and jumping his bones wasn’t an one of them. Unfortunately¸ her lack of sight had only enhanced her other senses.
The musky scent of his cologne had teased her as her body vibrated in time with the SUV’s motor. Hyperaware, her muscles had tensed every time he’d moved in his seat.
He had started singing along to an old Smoky Robinson Motown tune. His golden tenor had softened her resolve to ignore him as he had sung, “I don’t want you, but I need you. Don’t wanna kiss you, but I need to.”
She’d squeezed her thighs together to maintain her balance with every twist and turn in the road. The pressure had built in her clit until she’d surrendered to her naughty imaginings. He would sing as he kissed his way down her stomach, a day’s growth of beard tickling her. He’d stop at that spot right below her ribs. Kiss his way across the flat plateau, grasping her hips tight to keep her from wriggling too much. He’d linger near her bellybutton before veering lower and crossing over to her right hip. She’d arch her back, silently beseeching him to move toward her wet pussy. He’d murmur the song’s lyrics as his mouth traveled toward her shaved lips.
Just as her daydream was about to pay off, his SUV had jerked to a halt.
As he cut the motor, she squeezed her thighs together to ease the throbbing pressure. The squirming didn’t help.
“What in the world is that?” His jaw dropped as he stared at her house.
Ignoring the desire pulling her body taut, she glanced out the front windshield. And like that, the invisible weight on her shoulders evaporated.
The dog spotted her and went nuts. He wiggled from the tip of his snout to his tail. He circled. He yipped and whined.
She shrugged and opened the door. “That’s Onion.” She jumped down to the driveway and snuck a sideways glance at Jake. He sat slack-jawed behind the wheel.
Her dog galloped to her side. No one could beat Onion in an ugly dog contest. He looked like a drunken, mad scientist had fashioned him from the leftover parts of several mangy mutts. He had a Bulldog’s short, muscular body, a Chow’s fluffy, curled tail and a few black spots dotted his tan coat. A Labrador’s endearing personality topped off the package. Yep. Onion was an unsightly mess. But she loved him.
She bent and scratched him behind the ears. “What are you doing out here, you silly dog? How’d you sneak out this time?”
Onion looked ugly, but he had a beautiful brain. The dog got into or out of anywhere he wanted. She’d tried to crate him once. He’d escaped before she’d even pulled out of the drive.
“I think he just walked out the front door,” Jake said, slamming his car door shut and walked over to her side.
Claire scrutinized the wraparound porch. Sure enough, the front door hung wide open. She took a step forward, but Jake grabbed her elbow, tugging her to his side.
“Where do you think you’re going?”
She yanked her arm. “Inside my house.”
He jerked her around so she was behind him as he scanned the area. “How’d that work out for you last time you took off without thinking first?”
She wanted to tell him how wrong his words were. But she couldn’t. He was right. A fact that annoyed her to no end.
“He could be in there.” Jake waved toward the house. “He could be armed.”
“I don’t think Onion would be acting all lovey-dovey if that maniac was here. He’s not a doggie model, but he’s smart. He probably scattered as soon as trouble hit and has been waiting for me to get back.”
Jake looked down at Onion, who busily sniffed his boots. He patted the dog’s head. Grudgingly, she chalked up a point in his favor for being nice to Onion.
“OK, but stay with me and don’t do anything stupid.”
The urge to get inside overrode her need to make a snappy comeback.
She didn’t like it, but she wasn’t going to argue the point.