JESUS, SHE WAS SPECIAL, so damn special. She not only accepted what he did, understanding the reasons for it, she praised him. Complimented him.
Redeemed him.
“I left him blind in one eye,” he said, desperately needing her to understand just how far his temper had carried him. “I destroyed his nose, knocked out a few teeth—”
“Good, good, good.” As she spoke, she rose to kiss his face, her tears dropping. At first it confused him until he realized what it was, then he saw that her eyes were red, her cheeks blotchy.
She’d been silently crying that whole time.
“Oh, baby, don’t. Please don’t.” He could deal with anything except seeing her upset. Rolling, he put her under him and brushed back those sweet flyaway curls. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to—”
Her fingers smashed over his mouth while she audibly swallowed. “Don’t,” she choked. “Don’t regret telling me.” She struggled to swallow again, then sobbed softly and grabbed him, hiding her face against his chest.
“Charlotte?”
“I’m proud of you,” she strangled out.
The laugh sounded rusty, as confused as he felt. “Proud?” He tried to tip up her face, but she resisted, and then her head bumped his chin as she nodded. “I would never—”
Her small fist thumped his chest. “I know that. You don’t go around raging on people. You don’t have a terrible temper. You defended yourself, just as you should, and probably ended up saving other people too.” Gearing up for more, she drew in a breath. “So I’m proud of you for doing what had to be done. Proud of you for surviving.” She not-so-subtly wiped her eyes on his shirt. “Proud of you for being who you are—a man who thought I needed to hear this, so even though I know it had to be painful, you told me.”
Yes, very painful, but he’d felt satisfaction too. That day he had proved he could survive.
Hell of a lesson—and one past due at that point.
Sniffling, she cupped his face in her hands. “I hope I don’t scare you off, Mitch Crews, but I’m falling in love.”
His stomach took a free fall. She stole his breath. Hell, she stole his reason and his strength and every other damn thing he thought he had control over. “You...?”
Defiant and with her own measure of pride, she nodded. “If you can’t handle that, we should probably call it quits right now.”
Unthinkable. “Oh, hell no.”
Her lips curved. That mouth, that incredibly sexy, scorching hot smile...
Suddenly ravenous for her, he crushed her mouth under his, aware of the wetness on her cheeks and the way her fingers tunneled into his hair.
Her acceptance.
Her willingness.
He could have her here, in the park, on the hard ground—but he wouldn’t. He cared for her too. Love? He didn’t know much about love, but he knew Charlotte was vital to him. She deserved his patience, and by God, he’d give it to her.
But he could show her how it’d be for them. He wanted her to want him every bit as much, to be just as hungry as him.
Leaving her parted lips, he kissed away the tears, opened his mouth on her throat and tasted her sun-warmed skin, filling his senses with her. God, he could get drunk on her taste.
Fingers open, he trailed his hand up her side, covering a lot of tantalizing ground from her pliant hip, the curve of her waist and up to one small, perfect breast.
Finding her nipple already stiff beneath camisole and bra, he groaned.
Charlotte squeezed her eyes shut and pinched her lips together, but he still heard the little hum of excitement. He watched her face as he worked his thumb over and around her nipple. When she involuntarily arched, her lips parting, he couldn’t help but take things a step further.
“You, lady, are a scalding-hot temptation.” Almost too tempting to resist. “Will you trust me?”
“I already do.”
Humbled, he kissed her again, saying against her lips, “You’ll like this.” Propped on one forearm, he slowly tugged down the top of her camisole, taking her bra cup away as well, until he revealed her.
Creamy pale skin drew his fingertips. Gently, lightly, he explored her, circling her puckered nipple until her breaths grew uneven.
“Beautiful.” Lowering his head, he placed one small kiss on the very tip. She shifted against him, bringing one leg up, hooking it around his calf. Her hips lifted.
Liking that response, he teased with his tongue, circling her, circling, plucking with his lips...
“You’re right,” she whispered brokenly. “I like that.”
Smiling, he drew her in, sucking softly—then not so softly.
It shouldn’t have surprised him; with Charlotte, she never reacted as he expected. But her immediate trembling, the way she rocked against him, told him how quickly she turned on.
Just from his mouth on her breast.
“Damn,” he breathed, moving to the side of her, set on his course. “You and I are going to have so much fun.”
Eyes closed, cheekbones dewy and flushed, she whispered, “I’m counting on it.”
Already she appeared so aroused. Starved. That’s what she was: a sexy, incredibly sweet woman who, for unimaginable reason, had avoided sexual involvement.
Until him.
He’d take care of her, in every way she could imagine.
A glance around ensured they remained alone. “I’m going to show you how good it will be.”
She breathed faster.
Though he’d done little enough, she was already so primed his ego swelled—along with other parts of him.
He kissed her, softly devouring her mouth until her fingers clutched at his shoulders. Her shorts were nice because the leg openings were loose, making it easy for him to trail his fingertips up her satiny thigh and under the hem.
On a sharp inhale, Charlotte went still, suspended on a precipice of anticipation.
So beautiful—and meant for him, only him.
Watching her face, very aware of the differences in their sizes, experience and expectation, he explored her through her panties.
“Mitch...”
“Hmm?”
“Don’t stop.”
“No, I won’t.” As he stroked over her, her eyes grew heavier, darker and dazed, until she closed them on a shuddering sigh.
He could feel the heat of her—and he wanted more. Sliding beneath the elastic of the leg opening, he touched her. Warm, damp, swollen...
Biting off a groan, he bent back to her nipple, tonguing her while sliding one finger over the seam of her sex. Her legs shifted apart. He pressed in, barely entering her. Clamping a hand onto his forearm, she tried to guide him, moving against him.
Yeah. So fucking hot.
It was a struggle not to get lost in sensation and need, but he managed to stay aware of their surroundings, attuned to any sound of approach.
All stayed quiet except for the birds in the tree, the rush of the creek and the rustle of the breeze through the leaves.
As he worked that one finger deeper, they groaned together—him in a surge of lust at her tightness, but he was pretty sure her reaction was to sensory overload of a new experience.
Going a little deeper each time, he stroked, gently in and out, until she caught his rhythm and moved with him. It was tricky because the shorts were restrictive, but he got his hand turned enough to bring his thumb up to her clit. Her electric reaction to that was one of the hottest things he’d ever experienced.
Charlotte made everything sharper, sweeter and infinitely hotter.
By small degrees, release crept up on her. He saw it in the flush of her skin, her swollen lips and labored breaths, the way she tightened, arched. Closing her eyes, she put her head back, her expression beginning to contort in signs of nearly painful pleasure.
In response, he grew so hard he hurt.
Turning her face against him with a throaty, broken groan, she let go, and the climax rolled through her.
If he had her alone in his house he’d make use of the soft bed, strip her naked and eat her until she sobbed like this with release, and then he’d ride her hard and deep, making himself a part of her.
Short of that, this was perfect. He hurt with his own need, but he didn’t care. He’d see to it that they had plenty of time for the rest of it later.
Staying with her, soaking in her incredible response, Mitch felt the moment she started to ease and he lightened his touch. Her nipple was very dark and ripe when he released her from his mouth. Blowing gently on her caused a moan, and she fell flat again, legs slightly parted, breast exposed, pulse thundering.
Mine, he thought, looking at her with her displaced clothes, mussed hair and rosy skin. “You’re mine.”
“That goes both ways,” she whispered.
Worked for him.
Getting oxygen into his lungs wasn’t easy. As he looked her over from her bare feet to her twisted shorts and up to her sweetly exposed breast, throbbing need and gentle affection overwhelmed him.
“You are the sexiest, prettiest, most amazing woman I’ve ever known.”
She got her lips to smile, but it looked like it cost her. “Mmm.” Lazily, she sighed. “How am I supposed to work now?”
“You’ll see.” He slowly took his hand from her shorts and brought his fingers first to his nose, stirring even more at the scent of her musk, then put them in his mouth.
Maybe a little embarrassed, Charlotte watched him.
He touched her cheek with his fingers, smiling at her shock. “It’ll be easier for you now. Working through lust is a bitch—I know, because you’ve kept me there from the moment we met. Now you’ll be more relaxed.”
“So relaxed I almost feel comatose.”
“You’ll recoup.” He shifted, winced and said, “Sorry,” as he reached down to rearrange himself.
That made her eyes widen. “You’re...”
“Hard enough to be deadly, yeah.” Also happier than he’d ever known was possible. “Don’t worry about it.”
She gave a short laugh. “That hardly seems fair since I...” Her cheeks warmed. “You know.”
“Got yours?” Her modesty amused him. “God, I’m glad. Today, with you, will be one of my best memories ever. It was a gift, and I thank you for it.”
“Pfft.” Already recovering, she sat up and tucked her breast away. “I’m not a selfish person.”
Far from it. “You’re a beautiful person.” He felt too good to move yet, so he crossed his arms behind his head. “There were more things I meant to tell you.”
“Like?” She half turned to face him, tentatively put a hand on his chest, then stroked down to his abs.
Out of self-defense, Mitch caught her hand and flattened it to his stomach. “Much more of that and I’ll never get things under control.” To be safe, he sat up too and picked a piece of dried grass from her hair. “Will you have dinner with me tonight at the house? We’ll have more privacy there?”
“Yes,” she said without hesitation—and looked down at his lap. “I could maybe...?”
He almost wanted to hear her finish that thought, because he knew she’d put a Charlotte-type spin on it. “Finish that thought tonight, maybe after we’ve had dinner and talked some more.”
“How about I finish my thought when I first arrive, and we have dinner and talk after?”
He looked at her earnest face and laughed. “Sounds like an offer I can’t refuse.” Wishing he could keep her here a little longer, he pushed to his feet, and helped her up next to him. “Love the shorts, by the way.”
She gave him another mischievous smile. “They were a good idea, weren’t they?”
“One of the best.” Holding her hand and leading her back to his car, he added, “Tonight I’ll enjoy stripping them off you.”
She faltered a step, put her free hand to her heart, and let out a long breath. “It’s going to be a very long day.”
No kidding. But tonight would be the payoff.
CHARLOTTE ARRIVED AT the office to find Ros had organized everything very neatly for her. Bless the woman, she was the only one Charlotte trusted to touch the paperwork. Brodie or Jack would have gone off course with some method of their own and totally confused her system. She’d have spent an hour fixing what they’d done in ten minutes.
Ros, on the other hand, had taught her the system and so she already understood it.
She would have liked to talk to Ros, to share—just a tiny bit—of her relationship with Mitch, but late morning things got hectic and only got crazier as the day went on. Brodie and Jack both had jobs that took them out of town until dinnertime. Mary went with Brodie, and Ronnie filled in with a few local jobs.
If things kept up like this, they’d need to hire another person.
Ros had mentioned how much she’d like to bring Mitch onboard, but Charlotte had a feeling the landscaping business would better suit him once he got it going. She could see him working out in the sunshine, sweat on his back, using his hands to build, grow and beautify nature.
His current plan was slowly unfolding, but thanks to Newman’s intrusion in their lives, he had several things on his mind.
Despite the workload, she floated through the day, juggling phone calls, sending out invoices, setting new appointments and sorting files.
It was midday when Ros decided to run to the store for groceries. Purse over her shoulder, she paused in the doorway to the office, catching Charlotte on one of the few times she’d been able to sit at the desk.
“Ronnie should be here any minute. Do you think you’d be okay by yourself for a bit? I want to grab some steaks for dinner.”
“What?” Looking up from the paperwork, Charlotte took in her worried expression and smiled. “Of course. I’ll be fine.”
“You’re not nervous after what happened? Them coming here, I mean?”
“I don’t think they’d dare to try that twice.”
Unconvinced, Ros said, “You’ll lock the door behind me? Stay inside until Ronnie gets back, or Mitch shows up?”
“Absolutely.” No, she wasn’t extra nervous after Newman’s surprise visit, but neither would she take chances.
Ros looked at her a moment longer, and grinned. “There’s a glow about you.”
“You can see it?” Hands to her cheeks, Charlotte thought about the morning, what Mitch had done, how he’d made her feel, and she laughed. “I didn’t know it showed.”
Coming farther into the room, Ros propped a hip on the edge of the desk and touched Charlotte’s hair—and came away with a blade of grass. “I take it Mitch is responsible?”
She nodded happily. In a whisper, sort of tasting the words, she admitted, “I didn’t know. Before Mitch, I had no idea...”
“I’m glad you’re seeing things how they should be. I’m a big believer that when the right one comes along, there’s no use fighting it.”
That sobered Charlotte. “The way you’re fighting it with Elliott?”
“Different story.” Rather than deny it, Ros said, “I’ve been there, done that, and know how it ends. I hope—I pray—that Mitch isn’t like him in that regard.”
Awed by the gift of trust, Charlotte stood. “He’s not.” She felt very sure of it. “Settling down, getting some roots and having family is too important to him. I think he wants that more than anything.”
“Funny, because I think he wants you more than anything.” She dropped her hands into her lap and studied Charlotte. “He may have first come here for his brothers, but it’s you, Charlotte, who will get him to stick around.”
Wow. The weight of responsibility weighed heavily on her. “I’ll certainly do my best.” For her own selfish reasons, she too wanted Mitch to stay.
“Good.” Ros drew her into a hug and a kiss on the cheek. “I think you’re both pretty special. In the nicest possible ways, you deserve each other.”
After securing the door behind Ros, Charlotte checked the time. Hopefully she got back soon because they had one last local job to fit in.
It’d probably put them over a bit, but the delivery was for a friend and neighbor, not just a customer. Charlotte couldn’t wait to see Mitch again, but she also believed in great service for their return people.
Lost in thought, it startled her when the landline rang. That’s what she got for imagining how things would be tonight with Mitch instead of concentrating on the work schedule for tomorrow.
She answered with a crisp, “Mustang Transport, this is Charlotte. How may I help you?”
“Sweet Charlotte.”
The unfamiliar voice made her senses prickle. She pushed back from the desk, her brows pulling in a frown. “Yes?”
“I heard Mitch was looking for me.”
The world came to a standstill. “Newman?”
Without confirming or denying that, he said, “Tell him not to worry. I’ll find him—when I’m damn good and ready.”
Drumming up meager courage wasn’t easy, not when her limbs trembled and her stomach bottomed out. “He’s not alone anymore.”
“No, he’s not, is he? Now he has you.” She heard breathing, and then, “I’ll be seeing you soon, and then we’re going to have us some fun.”
That sounded like a threat, making her mouth go dry. “So this is Newman. I’m hanging—”
“Don’t you fucking dare!”
Alarm shot her heart into her throat and she automatically slammed down the phone—a perk to having a landline.
It immediately rang again, each loud peal jangling her nerves. She stared at it until it stopped.
Seconds later, a knock on the front door brought her half out of her seat, ready to slam the door to the inner office again.
Then Ronnie called out, saying, “Hey, Charlotte. It’s me. Let me in.”
Relief turned her legs to noodles. Ready, even anxious for an ally, she rushed to the door, scanning the surrounding lot through the glass as she opened it.
Dressed in black jeans and a white tank, the bangs of her short platinum hair swinging from a side part, Ronnie entered with her usual swagger. “Hey, girl, what’s up...” Always observant, she took one look at Charlotte and her words died a quick death. “What is it? What’s wrong?”
“A call.” Locking the door again, Charlotte headed back to her desk. She needed a seat before she started explaining.
Ronnie stayed hot on her heels. “From him?” she asked, a sneer in her tone.
God, how she wished she had Ronnie’s courage. Trying to contain her thundering heart, she flattened a palm on the desk and drew a shuddering breath. “That’s what he said.”
Suspicion sharpened Ronnie’s gaze. “What else?”
“Maybe just nonsense, but...”
“But probably not, so spill.”
Seeing no way around it, Charlotte nodded. “He...well, he toyed with me and I maybe overreacted.”
“What did you do?”
“Slammed down the phone—after he warned me not to.”
Ronnie grinned, and offered a high five. “Way to go.”
Helplessly, Charlotte smacked her palm to Ronnie’s. “Yeah...pretty sure it only made him mad.”
“Too bad for him, right?”
When the phone rang again, Ronnie’s grin widened. “I’m putting him on Speaker, so don’t say anything.” With that warning, she answered the call. “Lo.”
There was a startled pause, and then: “Hmmm, no longer sweet little Charlotte, huh?”
“Nope.” Sitting on the edge of the desk, Ronnie folded her arms. “So what do you want, asshole?”
“To talk to her.”
“Tough titty. Anything else?”
Charlotte gaped at her. Thank God it was the same voice, and not a potential customer.
The caller laughed. “Oh, you fancy yourself a little badass, huh?”
“Bad enough to cut out your heart, if you weren’t a coward who resorted to childish prank calls—and dicking with cars.”
“Bitch!”
“But hey, you are, right? So how about I’ll just hang up on you? Yeah, that’s what I’ll do.” Unlike Charlotte, she didn’t slam down the phone. She merely pressed the button.
“Ronnie...”
“Just wait. He’ll call back. They always do.”
Nails tapping on the desk, Ronnie waited while Charlotte sat there feeling...exposed. Like people could see her, could know her fear.
Trying to hide her uneasiness, she whispered, “Maybe—”
The phone’s jarring ring didn’t jolt her quite so badly this time.
“So,” Ronnie said by way of answer. “Working up to something, are you?”
“Yes, I am.” He sounded more composed this time. “Soon we’ll see how good you are with that little blade.”
Ronnie laughed, a sound that was both mean and anticipatory. “Anytime. Anywhere.” Taunting the caller, she added a few clucking chicken sounds.
A feral snarl erupted through the line. “You just sealed your fate.”
“Uh-huh. Well, thanks for hanging on the line long enough for me to trace the call.” With false satisfaction, she stated, “Gotcha.”
Immediately the line went dead.
Ronnie shook her head. “Idiots will believe anything.”
“Oh my God,” Charlotte whispered, dumbfounded by Ronnie’s audacity. “You taunted him.”
“Yeah, so? We need him to act. Now he’ll be more inclined.”
“To kill you!” To kill me too. But then, she hadn’t yet told Ronnie what he’d said.
Hyperventilating was a very real possibility.
Giving Charlotte a long look, Ronnie left the desk and went to peer out the door. “Odds are he called from a cell, and that’s a whole different matter—not that the idiot seemed to know it.”
Sympathizing with Jack and his efforts to keep Ronnie safe, Charlotte followed her. “You really shouldn’t have done that. I’m pretty sure the guys won’t approve.”
“I can guarantee Jack, Brodie and Mitch feel the same way I do. Waiting is the tough part, not knowing where the creep is or when he’ll do something.”
“When he does something,” Charlotte pointed out, “they want it to be toward them, not you.”
Indifferent over that possibility, Ronnie shrugged. “Once he comes out of hiding, the guys will get him.” She glanced back, her gaze intent. “If I don’t get him first.”
Charlotte could only shake her head. “You’re—”
“Yeah, Jack has a few names for it, none of them all that complimentary.” Dropping back against the wall, she smiled. “At least not all the time.”
“I don’t understand you.” In case she took that wrong, Charlotte added, “I adore you. I love having you in the family. But the things you do—”
“I know.” Voice so low Charlotte could barely hear her, Ronnie whispered, “You’ve never been attacked—and I’m glad. But it changes things.”
Gently, Charlotte asked, “Like?”
“I’ll never be the victim again. I’d rather attack first.” Turning back to the door, she said, “Mitch is here,” as if they hadn’t been discussing something so very dark.
Anxious to see him, Charlotte stepped up next to Ronnie to watch his long-legged, easy approach. Dark sunglasses hid his eyes, but his hard mouth held a sexy curve of anticipation.
To see her.
She loved seeing him like this, carefree, happy. He deserved peace and quiet. He deserved a secure life.
“God, I hate to tell him about this,” Charlotte murmured, dreading his reaction. “He’s already dealt with so much. Finding out about this is really going to upset him.”
“Upset him?” Ronnie snorted. “It’s going to piss him off,” she corrected. “Besides, he’s not a little kid who needs to be protected.”
He was once...and he’d had no one.
“Charlotte,” Ronnie said in gentle reprimand. “He needs to know.”
“I know.” She wished for a way to shield him, to insulate him from this new ugliness, but he couldn’t guard himself unless he had all the details.
Reaching the door first, Ronnie unlocked and swung it open, greeting him with, “Perfect timing.”
Arrested by the cryptic comment, Mitch stalled just inside the door, instantly alert. Pulling off the sunglasses, he studied first Ronnie, then Charlotte.
The transformation was startling. His shoulders seemed to bulge right before her eyes. He stood taller, looked more dangerous.
Ronnie shifted her gaze to Charlotte. “See what I mean?”
Charlotte nodded.
“What happened?” Striding in past Ronnie to Charlotte, Mitch clasped her shoulders. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.” Seeking to have just a speck of the courage and calm Ronnie possessed, she told him everything that had happened, every word Newman said.
Ronnie dropped back against the wall. “You didn’t tell me he was after you.”
“It’s me he wants to hurt,” Mitch said. “But he’ll use all of you to make it happen.”
Charlotte twisted her hands in his shirt. “You can’t leave us.” You can’t leave me.
“No, I can’t. Not now. That opportunity came and went.”
“At least you’re clear on that,” Ronnie said.
His hand came up to cradle Charlotte’s cheek. “I’ll see you home.”
“No.” She covered his hand with her own. “You promised me a date, and I plan to hold you to it.”
“But—”
“I’ve been waiting all day.” She got a smile on her face, and knew it reeked of determination. “Let’s go.”