Dream - Dream Specter Part 10

"Is that why you had it out with Clark Huntley?" Christina tilted her head as she issued her demand.

"No, that was about my cell phone."

Jared rolled his eyes over to Shane as the two women continued their conversation. They were spilling information faster than any interrogation could have produced.

"You were raised here, Sh.e.l.ly, half the county has your phone number."

"Not my new cell phone. I had that phone for just twenty-four hours before Huntley called me. Believe me, I know how weird it sounds. But the man was petrified when I demanded to know just where he got the number."

Not half as terrified as the man was going to be when Jared got a hold of him. Getting a cell phone number was far easier than most of the public knew, but it required specialized equipment. Jared intended to discover just why the local law office seemed to be running in that sort of loop.

"Rosh.e.l.le, what else?"

She really considered his question. Rosh.e.l.le could see the anger displayed by his green eyes but for a change it wasn't directed at her. The entire concept that Jared might be angry on her behalf sent emotion zinging along her nerves.

"I don't bake."

"I knew it!"

The blonde's triumphant look confused Jared. Rosh.e.l.le's confession didn't make any sense to him. "Meaning what?"

"I couldn't have left something in the oven because I had never used it. Not even once."

"Your grandmother could have left it there."

"The church ladies did a good job of clearing out the house after Abba pa.s.sed. All the utilities were turned off." Jared crossed his arms over his chest in response. "A gas oven has a pilot light. It has to be lit."

"I take it you didn't get around to doing that?"

"It wasn't a priority, seeing as I hadn't even thought about using the oven. Besides, leaving something in the oven wouldn't have hit me over the head. Whoever these people are, they don't mind murder or kidnapping. And it all seems to come back to my land."

Holding a civil conversation with the man was unsettling. His eyes were just too sharp as they inspected her. Rosh.e.l.le felt her cheeks flood with heat as he let his eyes drift over the blush staining her face. Shane had drifted into the kitchen, leaving the doorway free.

Coward or not, Rosh.e.l.le headed out of the kitchen. She had tossed and turned most of the night as her dreams filled with nothing but Jared. She couldn't seem to evict him from her thoughts. Instead her body had burned and signed as she recalled each and every detail of their encounter.

With nowhere to go, and even less to do, the hours of the day stretched out in front of her endlessly. It gave her mind far too much time to indulge in memories of Jared. Rosh.e.l.le would rather face residency again.

Lifting her eyes to the top of the ridge, she set her body in that direction. At least scaling the peak would give her something to do. Maybe she could trick her mind into sleeping if her body was exhausted.

Jared watched her determined stride with a frown. Rosh.e.l.le was becoming far too mobile for his piece of mind. As small as the bits of information she had given him were, they tipped the scales more than she would ever know.

Someone wanted her dead. Jared intended to make sure that never happened.

For now he was going to have to keep her under a tighter watch. Despite their patrols, it would be possible for someone to breach the security as far as the surrounding woods went.

"I think it may be time to pay a visit to Benton." Shane stepped into the morning sunlight and shot Jared a hard look.

"I think it's time to confiscate a pair of boots."

Shane rubbed his jaw as his eyes followed Jared's glare. The cause of the man's concern wasn't hard to guess. Their guest was making her way up the hillside oblivious to the vulnerability her action opened her to.

Both men swore under their breath as two identical paging tones bounced between their bodies. Withdrawing their phones, it took seconds for the line of code to be understood by both.

Jared considered Rosh.e.l.le again. His duty could not be ignored. Like it or not he had no intentions of leaving her safety open to distract him during this a.s.signment. But he did have to admit to enjoying the idea of facing the little fireball when he got back.

Stomping her foot in temper only gained Rosh.e.l.le a sore heel. With nothing on her feet, the unyielding wood floor bore up to her displeasure far too well.

She felt like screaming! The poorly stifled laughter of the solider as he walked across the drive only infuriated her more. The brute had enjoyed dragging her back to the house, just as he had almost gleefully demanded her boots.

Where was he?

Jared had ordered this. Well the man could b.l.o.o.d.y well face her.

Promise to her mother aside, Rosh.e.l.le was going to find that man. At the very least try her best to give him a splitting headache. Maybe it was the many times that she had purposely tried to control her vision, but it was actually becoming easier to do so.

Especially with Jared.

For some reason she could see him if she truly tried. Reaching out, Rosh.e.l.le forced herself into his brain as she tried to communicate her complete unhappiness.

The feeling that washed over her in response made her retreat in all haste. The precision of his invasions had left her feeling exposed before. This time pure male intention flooded her body. The sensation moved down her body over every curve. Touching her as deeply as his body had done. Her flesh responded immediately. Her nipples drew into tight beads as an ache returned to her pa.s.sage.

A scarlet blush burned across her cheeks. It just didn't make sense. The man was rude, threatening and far from normal. He had ripped into her very soul. But he had also saved her life.

Standing at the window, her eyes took in the man that currently held her boots. He had withdrawn to a shaded spot closer to Shane's house. Once again an automatic rifle lay cradled across his chest as his eyes made slow scans of the area.

There was such an alternate world feeling here. Everything just seemed foreign. The very patterns of life were carried out so drastically differently. These people lived each day expecting some form of hostile activity.

When that violence had reached out to touch her life, it had shocked her down to her toes. These people expected nothing else. It was amazing to discover such people existed in her own backyard.

Maybe she was being a little too judgmental. It was very possible that Jared needed his rough edges. Rosh.e.l.le couldn't see him fitting into her world and she certainly couldn't adapt to his.

But just maybe she should let him help her get out of this net she found herself tangled in.

The truth was, she couldn't think of anyone more suited to the task. Her captor was still out there. As much as she really hated to agree with Jared, his point made sense. If she tried to return to her life, she might not live very long.

But that admission left her more unsettled than before. Without her goal of returning home, Rosh.e.l.le found herself facing the necessity of trusting her current hosts. That was very unsteady ground.

She had a few names, but beyond that just who Jared and his companions were was a mystery. The evidence provided by her eyes told her their training was state of the art. The amount of weaponry openly displayed still made her nervous. Outside of an action movie, Rosh.e.l.le had never laid eyes on so many high-powered rifles.

Yet here, being unarmed was the exception. It was strange to discover just how precious everyday choices really were. Now that she was faced with the lack of freedom to even walk down a city street, Rosh.e.l.le noticed just how much of a privilege it truly was.

Jared pushed his front door open with a silent hand. Angling his frame through the doorway, his eyes s.h.i.+fted across the room looking for movement. Nothing. Rosh.e.l.le was in here, Jared could feel her.

The only sound in the house was a rather odd sc.r.a.ping. It continued as he moved on silent feet into the living room. Moving closer to the kitchen, the heavy scent of ammonia hit him.

Propping a shoulder into the doorjamb, he stood bemused by the sight that greeted him. Kneeling in the far corner of his kitchen, Rosh.e.l.le was currently wielding a scrub brush with vicious intent on the floorboards. The muscles of her arms stood out as she applied the stiff brush to her task. And her sweet little bottom was stuck up in the air for his appreciation.

Dipping her brush into the bucket next to her, she stretched out like a feline to reach a far corner. A slow grin spread across his face as her t-s.h.i.+rt displayed her chest. Those firm little b.r.e.a.s.t.s bounced with her efforts, hanging free of any sort of undergarment.

His grin deepened as he enjoyed the burn of arousal. Seeping into his pores, he let the heat pool in his abdomen. His staff filled and stiffened. This time the need was strong and steady. With the front door closed, he had all the time in the world to investigate his attraction to her pet.i.te body.

Pus.h.i.+ng back onto her haunches, Rosh.e.l.le raised a hand to her perspiration-beaded forehead. That was odd, Rosh.e.l.le could clearly feel Jared again. Her hand froze at her forehead. Opening her mind up further, she contemplated what that action let in. s.h.i.+fting her eyes behind her, she pressed her lips into a tight line.

d.a.m.n, that man moved too silently!

"I'm not certain the floor was quite that dirty."

"Despite the pristine paint job on your ceilings, a woman can only stare at them so long."

Pus.h.i.+ng to her feet, Rosh.e.l.le brought the bucket with her. She wasn't too sure just why the man sounded so smug. Moving her eyes over him, she took in the lazy stance. Relaxation was not the feeling she had sensed before turning around. No, it was much more intense. Searching his face for clues, she watched his eyes move down her body. His half-closed eyes settled over her chest momentarily before continuing down her length.

Well that was clear enough! The man was normal in one sense, the disgusting male one.

Rosh.e.l.le turned to the sink to empty her bucket. His interest sparked an ignition of fire in her that rapidly rose to an inferno. Her body seemed to leap at the chance to display its hunger for him. She could feel the sting of a blush sitting on her cheeks. So, she began to wash the bucket in order to keep Jared's sharp eyes from seeing it.

"I thought you said I don't scare you."

Her hand froze on the bucket. His voice was downright menacing now. Lifting her chin, she struggled with her pride. He was baiting her.

"That's correct."

"Good." Jared considered the tight curve of her bottom. "Virginal fears shouldn't last beyond the night you surrender that purity."

"I didn't surrender!"

Rosh.e.l.le swung around to glare at him. Her face burned hotter as his eyes very keenly picked out the thrust of her nipples beneath her s.h.i.+rt. He raised his face to aim a smug grin at her temper.

"Agreed. I believe it was more of a conquering."

His fingers curled around her wrist. A sharp tug sent her tumbling towards him. Rosh.e.l.le gasped as her head landed on his chest. His scent invaded her senses completely dissolving any reason she had. Instead hunger transformed into a living beast inside her that clawed at the chains she'd bound it with.

His hand captured the back of her head and tilted her face up. His eyes were glowing as he opened the link between their minds. Rosh.e.l.le felt the deep probing of her emotions as he firmly locked her body against his.

"You can't hide your need from me, honey. So stop shoving that wall in my way."

His mouth ended any retort she might have made. He pushed her lips apart to thrust into her depths as his hand held her head for the a.s.sault. The kiss was punis.h.i.+ng and deep. A solid wave of determination flowed into her mind from him as his staff throbbed against her belly.

Rosh.e.l.le twisted as the heat rose inside her. Her fingers desperately searched for the warm male skin she knew lay beneath his clothing. A groan of frustration left her throat as she struggled to move away from his chest in order to bare it.

Jared growled. The deep sound rumbled up from his chest as he thrust his tongue back into her mouth to stroke the length of her own.

Suddenly Jared jerked their mouths apart. He raised his head to look over her to the kitchen window. A bare second later he curled his hand around her wrist again as he released her body. He turned on a heel and strode out of the kitchen. Rosh.e.l.le found her body pulled behind his as he made his way down the dark hallway and into the master bedroom.

Rosh.e.l.le found her body spun free as she frantically tried to keep her balance and find her night vision. Instead all she felt was Jared. He seemed to surround her with his mind. Floating across her skin as gooseflesh spread down her neck and across her torso.

Her lungs filled in a rapid pace that made it impossible to stand still. The rustle of cloth drifted to her ears as she tried to calm her racing heart. Her feet s.h.i.+fted and lifted as her body pulsed with the need to move. Any kind of motion. Her belly tightened as that heat seemed to move straight to her pa.s.sage. Every sensation seemed to be traveling towards the tightening knot of need that was twisting inside her womb.

Fluid seeped down through the folds of her s.e.x and onto her inner thigh. Rosh.e.l.le lifted a trembling hand to her head as she realized how very much she wanted Jared to take her. It seemed to go beyond need. In her deepest core, the craving transformed into desperation.

"I can smell you." He appeared behind her. One heavy arm clasped across her front as he moved to stand behind her. His head lowered to gently kiss her temple. His chest lifted with a deep breath as his fingers began to stroke along her neck.

"Your skin smells so good. I can't wait to bare it." His fingers caught the bottom of her s.h.i.+rt and pulled. The oversized t-s.h.i.+rt went easily over her head. Rosh.e.l.le simply signed as the night air brushed her bare skin.

Jared cupped her b.r.e.a.s.t.s with firm hands. The two globes of flesh beckoned to his fingers. Moonlight spilled over the nipples making him groan as his body pulsed with so many signals at once. He wanted to lap those little beads 'til she whimpered, but his staff was pounding with the desire to thrust back into her body.

The pair of sweatpants she had on didn't take half a minute to strip down her body. Jared pushed the elastic cuffs off her feet and turned her into his embrace at the same time. He rose to his feet, lifting her off hers as he caught a nipple between his lips.

Rosh.e.l.le grabbed his shoulders as the floor was left behind. She sighed as her fingers traced the firm muscles sitting there. His strength delighted her. It made the throbbing inside her pa.s.sage deepen into a burning need that made her completely at ease as Jared laid her on her back in his bed. His large body pressed her thighs apart as he lowered his weight to cover her. His male scent surrounded her, making her sigh. Nothing mattered but feeding the hunger her body held.

His hips kept her spread widely as he used his opposite hand to smooth a firm line over her belly. Her breath caught as that hand covered the bare mound of her pa.s.sage. His fingers brushed over the smooth skin as he caught her eyes in the dark.

"What happened to those little curls?"

Her face burst into color but she couldn't stop her hips from twitching up for a firmer touch from his hand. She didn't want to talk! Only feel and appease the raging pulse that drove her.

She twisted and Jared smiled. Her body was smooth and completely bare. She must have shaved it away as she tried to clean the evidence of her lost virginity away. Her hips twisted up as her body withered in the hold of their mirrored desire. Rosh.e.l.le wasn't thinking, simply feeling.

Jared clamped his control on top of his ragging need to impale her. He wasn't going to rut on her like an animal in heat.

"Are you sore?"

A hard finger thrust into her pa.s.sage with his question. Rosh.e.l.le gasped as the walls of her body protested. His eyes bore into her as he withdrew and thrust forward again. This time her body didn't jerk. He rubbed around the inside of her pa.s.sage, slowly stretching the walls.

Rosh.e.l.le became fascinated with his face. He was watching her, gauging her reaction to his touch. Slowly testing the limits of her discomfort. His mouth caught hers as he thrust a second finger into her. It wasn't a ravaging kiss. Instead it was a deep tasting of her mouth as he continued to gently stretch her body.

Both fingers thrust and rubbed, making her arch her hips again. She needed the touch, wanted to be even fuller. Yet he waited for her to adjust to him. His staff burned into her thigh, making her s.h.i.+ft to get closer to it. But his body stayed firmly in place, refusing to let her simply appease her needs. He was waiting for her to say it. It was a test of wills. Rosh.e.l.le could feel him straining against his need to take her. His fingers left her to slip up the folds of her s.e.x and onto the swollen bud hidden there.

Pleasure shot up her body as he rubbed her. A moan escaped her lips and his shoulders shook as he held his ground.

"Do you want it, Rosh.e.l.le?"

His words were harsh and almost silent. His teeth were clenched as he rubbed her again.

"Yes."

"Do you want me?"