Mute

Heat in the kitchen

        “Jace, everything all right?” her father asked.

        “I talked to my boss. He wants me to stay here for now, if that is all right with you.” He sat up, he needed to get control back of what was going on and that meant controlling his body to start with.

        “You ain’t in no shape to travel any way boy.” He laughed, “I am surprised you are even out of bed.”

        “Which one of you tied me up?” jace asked rubbing his wrists.

        Her father let out a belly laugh when Sam’s cheeks turned red as fire. “I did that so I could get the bullets out. Sam decided to let you lose.”

        “I guess I owe you one Sam.” He chuckled when her cheeks got even darker and her eyes went wider.

Sam signed something to her father, turned away just enough jace couldn’t completely see. Her father glanced over at Jace, back to her and his hands said, “yes. I trust him.” Jace's eyebrow rose, she signed something again to which her father signed back, “are you sure?” she nodded.

        Her father barely glanced at Jace as he disappeared without a word, and returned a short time later and said, “she wants you to have this. Just in case work follows you here. I will have one too.” He slapped a nine millimeter hand gun into his hand.

        “I thought guns ……”

        “Oh they do. But she’s more concerned about you than being afraid of a gun.” Her father went back out the door to the barn. He slowly turned in the chair to watch her. She was doing her best to ignore him and pretend to be interested in cooking.

        “Sam. Look at me.” She slowly turned from the stove and looked at him. “Why?”

        ‘The bad guys always have guns too.’

        “How do you know I’m not a bad guy?” he actually signed this question.

        She hesitated, her hand going to her lips and lingered there a second or two. He remembered kissing her before he had passed out, could she still feel it too? She shrugged and turned away, like she’d dismissed such a crazy idea.

        Sam spun around when she heard the chair suddenly scrape the floor, jace was on his feet. ‘Stay down, sit down.’

        “Sam. I need to do this.” He took her hip in his hand, curling his fingers into the belt loops of her jeans. He backed her into the fridge, her hands coming to his chest as he lowered towards her face.

He braced against the top of the fridge so he wouldn’t crush her. “Do you trust me Sam?” his lips barely brushing against hers as he talked. She licked her lips, staring at her hands against his bare chest, before looking up at him.

        She nodded.

        He closed the gap slowly, working her lips with a firm jut from his jaw. He pulled her hip into his, he was out of breath from his chest being damaged or he would have went for more. She was watching him, following where his eyes traveled to all over her pressed against him.

        “I don’t want another man's hands on you Sam. My mouth should be the only one against yours. When my body is better, you will be mine.” His voice was raw, needy, possessive. It made him radiate danger as she was pinned against him with no way out. He cupped her lower jaw in his finger, his thumb trapping her chin in his hand, angling her face upwards. As heavily injured as he was he had total control of her, and she let him have it.

        'Why?’ her fingers asked against his chest.

        “because you were afraid of that.” He pointed to the gun on the table, “but you’d rather protect me, and let me carry it. Don’t you remember what I told you before?”

        ‘What?’

        He kissed her gently, still holding her locked into his body, his lips grazing hers softly like before. “I love you.”

        She pushed him back a step to talk better. 'You still have a blow to the head, you don’t know what you are saying.’

        “I will prove it.” His face said he was taking this seriously, it made her belly quiver, her core in flames when he was back pressing her into the fridge again. His weight heavy against her, nothing but clothes between them now.

        ‘But. Your wife? Or girlfriend?’

        “Never married, haven’t had a girlfriend in a few years.” He declared. He lifted her chin again, looking her right in the eyes. He pressed her palm to his heart with his other hand, “Sam. I want you.”

She nodded breathlessly, he smiled and kissed her one last time. She made him turn and sit in the chair again. ‘Are you all right?’

        “Yeah. Just dog tired.” She glared at him crossly from the stove, “but I feel better now.” He couldn’t help but grin, slowly a blush and a small smile spread across her face.

---------Week later----

        “Good morning.” He said when he heard footsteps come off of the stairs and around the corner. “I thought I’d cook since I felt a little better.” He glanced over his shoulder and grinned. “See something you like?”

        Sam came close to his back, her fingers tracing first his tattoos, then the old scars from the service across his shoulders. He turned off the stove and turned to face her.

        ‘Where did your shirt go?’

        “It’s in the wash. Have you been sleeping all right?” he pulled her close, settling her hips against his then taking her hands in his, wrapping his arms around her.

        She nodded. She was at his mercy again, her front pressed against his, her arms trapped behind her back in his hands. Her breasts rubbing against his chest as he studied her. She licked her lips, she was becoming an addict to his muscular lips.

        “Good.” He kissed her softly before releasing her hands and said, “I was worried that having the guns in the house would keep you awake.”

        ‘You were here, why should I be afraid?’ She shrugged as she asked.

        “You are something else Sam.” His smile made his gruff voice sound like it was laughing. He kissed her softly, her hand caught his neck and she rose up on top toes to reach him better. A large hand slipped down and cupped her rear, his fingers flexing against it.

        They stood there, both trying to catch their breath, staring deep into each others soul. He grazed his knuckles against the edge of her braid over her shoulder. It would be unnerving to any other man how she watched his every move so silently. Her eyes flitted up to his mouth a split second before she rose up and kissed him.

        He gathered her up into his chest with a moan and let her use him and his mouth to express what hers couldn’t. When his strength left he slid her back down to her feet. “Sam. How do you feel about me?”

        ‘Jace, I love you.’ Her hands said slowly, her eyes slowly meeting his.

        “I want you Sam. I want you so bad.” He groaned in need, then cleared his throat. “But I can’t. Not now. Not till this is over with.”

        ‘Why?’

        “Danger follows me when I work, Sam.” He caressed her face with the base of his thumb, cupping it with his fingers.

        ‘I love you regardless, jace. I will wait for you.’

        “I will keep you safe, Sam. I get done with this case, I’m done. I will come back here and you will never be able to get rid of me.”

        ‘You would quit your job? For me?’

        “I have long since earned my retirement. I may take up a second career as a rancher, have a hoard of kids.”

        ‘Do you know how to make kids?’ she asked, pressing against him firmly, scanning his body with hungry eyes. He ground his hard on into her belly, she leaned into him more.

        “Do you?” his voice caught because he was fighting a groan caused by the wanton look on her face.

        ‘This,’ and she took his bulge in one hand, ‘goes here.’ He bit his lower lip and tried to muffle a growl of lust as it fought for freedom. She then rubbed his palm against her peak. Her eyes closed and her head tilted back in pleasure when his firm fingers cupped her heat.

        “Oh Sam. You don’t know the half of it.” He groaned. He caressed her c**t under her jeans.

        ‘I could always tie you up and do what I want with you.’ Her eyes fell open, as she signed, pouring out lust like he’d never seen.

        “Don’t tempt me with a good time.” He chuckled, “you sound kind of naughty.”

        ‘You don’t know the half of it.’ She signed with a knowing smirk as she left him to go to the table.

Jace caught her from behind, sweeping her hair over to the side barring her neck. His left hand reaching across to cup her right breast and the right caressing her peak. He sucked on the tender skin behind her ear, leaving a tiny shadow, while fanning her core to an inferno again.

        “Remember baby, your mine. No man but me can have you.” He murmured in her ear, silently she nodded in agreement. When he pulled away her hair fell back in place perfectly hiding the evidence of his claim.