Burning Wild (Leopard People 2)

9

"DADDY, what's illoment mean?" Kyle asked.

Jake frowned and looked up at Emma for an interpretation. She seemed to always know exactly what the children were saying. She was leaning in the doorway, watching him unwrap the small presents from the squealing children while he sat on Kyle's bed with them. Andraya threw herself into his lap and wrapped her arms around his neck, clinging like a monkey, while Kyle stared earnestly up at his face.

Emma looked good enough to eat, and since he'd lain awake most of the night thinking of her lying on her bed clothed in her thin pajamas with nothing else beneath them, he found himself very hungry. She stirred and looked uncomfortable, shrugging her shoulders and giving him a small shake of her head.

"Is everyone ready for breakfast?" She sounded cheerful--too cheerful.

Jake's gaze narrowed on her face. She knew exactly what Kyle had asked. She didn't want to answer. He turned back to Kyle. "Who said that word to you?"

"The bad lady."

Jake jerked his head up again and glared at Emma. "The bad lady," he echoed, looking at Emma instead of his son. "What bad lady?"

"Kyle," Emma intervened.

Jake held up his hand, signaling Emma to silence as he slowly stood with Andraya still in his arms, his large frame dominating the room. "What bad lady, Kyle?" Jake asked, his voice deceptively gentle.

"The one that makes Mommy cry."

There was dead silence in the room. No one moved, not even Andraya. Jake fought down the volcano that threatened to explode. He took a breath, counted to ten and let it out. "Susan?" He raised his voice, calling out into the hall, never once taking his eyes from Emma's pale face.

The teenage girl came running, her face glowing with near worship, eager to help him. "I'm sorry, am I late for breakfast?"

"Not at all," Jake said pleasantly. "I didn't get a chance to tell you we're glad you've come for a visit. I'd like you to take Andraya and Kyle down to the kitchen and feed them."

Susan looked a bit flustered, opening her mouth several times to respond, but nothing came out. She held her hands out to the children. Kyle slipped his hand in hers, but Andraya clung to Jake.

Emma turned away, but Jake's hand snaked out, fingers settling around her wrist like a bracelet. "Oh, no, you don't. You're not going anywhere." With one hand he removed Andraya. "Go with Susan. There's a good girl," he murmured.

Andraya studied his face for a moment to determine if a temper tantrum would do any good, but when she saw the inflexible set of his jaw, she went willingly with Susan. Jake waited until the children had gone down the stairs.

"I have a standing order in this house. We don't have visitors unless I okay them first. I said Senator Hindman and his daughter were welcome to come occasionally, I don't recall ever giving permission for anyone else. Unless Susan is considered the 'bad lady' and has made you cry, that means someone else has been on my property and in my home."

Each word was distinct, bit out between his teeth, his voice lower than normal and rumbling with menace.

Emma stepped back--she couldn't help herself--but he followed, step for step, like a macabre dance, until her back hit the wall and she couldn't go any farther. Jake planted his hands against the wall on either side of her head, effectively caging her in. Up close he was quite large and intimidating and he knew it, and he didn't mind this time that she looked up at him with a touch of fear in her eyes. A good scare might do some good.

"Right after you left on this last trip, Jerico was on duty at the gate and he called the house and told me your girlfriend was here."

His eyebrow shot up. "My girlfriend? I don't have girlfriends and you know it."

Impatience crossed her expressive face. "Fine, then--the woman you sleep with."

"I don't sleep with women either--unless it's you. Who is this woman who claimed to be my girlfriend? Did she actually use that silly phrase?"

Impatience went to pure exasperation. "Jerico used that phrase. He said your girlfriend, Linda Rawlins, was at the gate and needed to come up to the house."

"And you fell for that?"

"I thought you were dating her. And sleeping with her." He allowed utter derision mixed with contempt to show in his eyes. "I don't date and I don't sleep. She came to my office in town and blew me a couple of times. I fucked her, pure and simple, because I hurt like hell and wanted it to stop. She knew there were no strings and never would be. My girlfriend." He shook his head. "I thought you knew better than that. What the hell did she want?"

He pulled out his radio and spoke into it. "Drake, I want Jerico waiting in my office immediately." He glanced down at Emma. "I know you instructed a bodyguard to come into the house with her. Give me a name."

"Jake." She tilted her chin at him.

"Don't make me any angrier than I already am."

Emma blew out her breath, dropped her eyes and shrugged. "Joshua." Emma curled her fingers curled into two tight fists.

Jake stared down at her, deliberately goading her, angry that she'd put herself in the line of fire when he'd gone to so much trouble to protect her. In another minute, if she didn't get her temper under control, she was going to take a swing at him. He spoke into the radio a second time. "Have Joshua join me there as well." He caught Emma's chin and forced her to look at him. "A slut is a slut no matter where she comes from, Emma, and you should know that. How could you let her trick you and invade my home?"

"If she's a slut, what does that make you?" Emma demanded, almost spitting mad. "She isn't the only woman you have falling all over herself to have sex with you."

Her eyes were beautiful, almost glowing, like two dazzling emerald jewels. He wouldn't have been surprised if sparks flew at him at any moment. "The difference is, Linda would sell her soul to the highest bidder and she uses sex to try to get what she wants."

"And you don't?"

"Not yet. But believe me, honey, that's going to happen soon. Now tell me what the hell went on and how the children got involved."

"Go to hell." Her temper rose to meet his.

His gaze narrowed, focused, burned into hers. His body went still, aggressive, dominating, as he surrounded her with power and heat.

She took a breath. He had moved closer, and that single inhalation pushed her breasts against h

is chest so that he felt the rise and fall, felt the slide of her hard nipples against him. Lightning streaked from chest to groin. He wanted to press against her body and rub himself on her like a cat. He was instantly, fiercely aroused, and got the image of her dropping to her knees and sliding her perfect fantasy mouth tightly around his thick, pulsing cock.

Anger arced between them, right along with heightened sexual awareness. He could smell their combined scents, a heady, potent mixture of sexual scents that acted like an aphrodisiac on him. He bent his head lower until his mouth was against her ear. "Watch what you say to me or you're going to find out just what happens when you push me too far."

"I don't intimidate so easily, Jake. And I refuse to jump through hoops like everyone else around you does."

His hand slid around her throat, tipping her head back, forcing her face up to his. "You really want to play power games with me, Emma? Because I can feel your body responding to mine. Do you think I can't tell when a woman wants me?" He pushed into her, nearly lifting her body onto his so that his heavy erection was snuggled into her hot mound.

"So I can be another one of your many cast-off sluts you can feel superior to? So you can get that look of contempt on your face every time you mention my name? Nice invitation, but really, no thanks." She didn't move away from him, or look away, matching him temper for temper. "My body may respond to yours--I'm not dead; and you're very sexy, which you well know--but believe me when I tell you, my head is absolutely screaming 'no way in hell.' "

All he heard were the words "no way in hell." Fury burned in his eyes and he caught her by her upper arms, yanking her onto her toes, dropping his head to hers, his lips crushing hers, grinding them into her teeth. There was nothing sweet about Jake in that moment. He took what he wanted, making a statement, demanding her response, conquering her, branding her, the hot pressure forcing her mouth open so he could own her.

Heat and flames streaked through his bloodstream and what was meant as a punishment became something else altogether. Her body fought him, but her mouth didn't, instead fusing with his, devouring hungrily, their tongues dueling wildly while her body struggled against his sudden weight. He pinned her against the wall, sliding one hand to her breast, finding her tight nipple and stroking and tugging as he'd wanted to do for the past two long years.