Never Be Tamed (Impossible Love #6)(19)
"Jenna, now."
"Just a minute," I called out.
My heartrate was now clear off of charts.
He didn't wait.
Instead, he came into the kitchen and he bent down in front of me, before burying his face in the apex of my thighs.
I stopped breathing.
He gripped my hands, and looked up at me. "Don't. Make. Me. Beg." And then he pulled my pants down and flipped one of my legs over his shoulder.
It was quite an elaborate plan.
"I hope you're ready," he said, gripping my thighs and bringing his mouth to the part of my body that so desperately wanted it.
I swore I heard a sizzle when he made contact.
He licked and nipped and parted me with his tongue, while pleasure rocketed through my body. His technique worked, because I no longer cared about the dinner, or Tabby, or anything else for that matter …
Chapter Twenty
Michael
"I'm surprised is all," Tabby told me after my confession about Jenna as we arrived at the dinner. "I guess I don't see what you see."
"I know you don't want to hear this, Tab, but she's a lot like you, and she's had to put up with her share of shit." I told her everything, including the bits about me and my survivor's guilt and the self-defense classes.
I don't think she had any idea what I'd been carrying around, not that she should've. It was so not her problem to deal with. But it did help me explain why I've stayed away from relationships.
"And you really have the space in your life now?" she asked.
"I didn't think so," I said, honestly. "But here's the thing about love, when it happens there's always room."
She reached over to me and squeezed my hand.
"So you're okay with it?"
Tabby bit her lip and nodded. "I'm glad you told me, but is it okay if I'm not thrilled? At least for now?"
"Are you going to give Jenna a hard time?" I asked.
"Of course not."
"Then I'm okay."
As expected, our conversation went way over what I told Jenna. So she said she'd meet us here. I checked the time and felt uneasy. She was late.
Really late.
My phone rang and I assumed it was Jenna, but as soon as I saw the caller ID, the bottom of my stomach dropped out.
It was Jones.
Panic sliced through me as he talked and told me what he found; my body burned.
I was going to be sick. And then I was going to kill someone.
Chapter Twenty One
Jenna
I just needed to get to Michael-it was the last thought in my head when everything went black. He was right, why hadn't I learned that by now? The creepy picture, the visit to my apartment, it wasn't some coincidence or harmless prank.
"You're back," the menacing voice cut through the fog in my brain. "I didn't want to hit you, Jenna, but I didn't expect you to be such a fighter. I had to protect myself."
I opened my eyes to Christian sitting in front of me. He was waiting for me when I got home, and when Michael didn't show up to take me to the Senior Dinner, he took full advantage.
I tried to fight as soon as I realized what was happening, but he knocked me out.
Instinctively, I wound up to strike again, but this time my hands were bound.
Christian started rambling about the date I missed, and how I didn't respect him. He talked about a class we had together two years ago. I wasn't listening. Instead, I flipped through the files in my brain for the information that I knew could help.
Michael taught me what to do in this situation, he prepared me for everything. Even the knife that was in Christian's right hand.
The dogs were barking, but this wasn't out of the ordinary. It wasn't enough to get someone to come to my apartment. I knew what I had to do.
Michael's words going through my head, lean into it.
"So I hear you blathering on about the past," I channeled the voice of the old Jenna. She was desperately needed right now. "What does that have to do with the here and now?"
He looked stunned.
"I'm not sure you're seeing me, Jenna," he said, his voice shaky, his eyes flittering around the room. "You're still ignoring me. You stood me up the other night. I gave you another chance and you stood me up."
"I was sick," I told him leaning forward, my eyes never straying from the blade. "What did you expect me to do?"
"I know that was a lie. I saw you with him," Christian spit. "I know you're with him."
In my head, I prepared with a long deep breath, and then I counted to three.
Chapter Twenty Two
Michael
Jones told me to stay put, but there was no way in hell I would. I was close and I knew he'd be right behind, so I didn't even hesitate. Once again, I went for her with guns blazing, sans the guns.
I busted through Jenna's door, but I was too late.
She was already struggling with that Christian fuck on the floor. Shit, it looked like she might've had the upper hand.
I didn't have time to really process any of that, I only needed to take out the threat. I dove on top of him, my right hand going for the knife, so it was nowhere near Jenna.
He struggled and I flipped him on his stomach, grinding my knee into his back. If Jones didn't get her fast, I would destroy this motherfucker.
I didn't get the chance. No more than three seconds after my knee made contact, the cavalry arrived.
It was chaos and Jenna and I were both swept away by different officers for medical attention and questioning.
We reached out to each other though, and the same shockwaves that I'd come to depend on shot up my arm when our fingertips touched. It was the best feeling in the world.
"Is that what you meant by lean into it?" Jenna asked me, pointing to the sick fuck on the ground.
"Yeah," I said. "That's what I meant, baby."
Then I laughed, because if I didn't the wet hot tears building behind my eyes would fall. And I didn't want her in pain over me. I never wanted her in pain again.
Epilogue
Jenna
The Ten Top Reasons Why Michael is as Good as Any Dog
1. He doesn't judge me, even when I do something really, really stupid.
2. He never comes home drunk or cranky.
3. He actually feels guilty when he's been bad.
4. He always likes how I look, and what I wear, and how much I weigh.
5. He's always excited to see me, and misses me when I'm gone.
6. He loves to cuddle, and doesn't make me sleep in the wet spot.
7. He lets me control the remote … sometimes.
8. He wouldn't dare brag about the women he's slept with.
9. He's a loyal, good listener who loves me unconditionally.
10. He's been trained and tamed-more than I can say for myself!
If you would've told me last year, that I'd be madly in love with my ex-boyfriend's, girlfriend's brother, who'd sworn to stay away from me, I never would've believed it. But here he was in my bed, while I studied my new and improved bookmark.
Michael sighed in his sleep as he usually did, his warm breath washing over my sensitive skin. I'd never grow tired of watching him sleep, or the way he ravaged me before we drifted off to sleep. He was still bossy and protective as hell, but even more swoony and sweet than I ever expect. Yes, Michael was a supreme catch-he was all man, and he was all mine. Forever.
Oscar looked up at me from his spot at the end of the bed, and rolled his eyes. Oh yeah, he put a stop to sleeping on the floor once Michael moved in. The fight for alpha in the house wasn't pleasant. But it seems the two guys in my life worked it all out.
And after what happened with Christian, both of them were reluctant to leave my side.
And now, for the important things-like companionship, entertainment, and love-my heart belonged to the hunk sleeping next to me.
Of course, Oscar was sure I was talking about him.
And I'd let him believe it for now. Because Michael already bared his teeth and claimed me as his own.
I was wearing the proof on my left hand …
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A Note from the Author
*Buzzkill alert* (Don't worry, it gets better after this first bit.) 2016 was a terrible year for my family. In June, my best friend, my dog Piper, was diagnosed with a life-threatening illness.
We lost her a week later, right after my son's eleventh birthday party. She was on our bed and my husband and I were with her. We have a small immediate family of three, so she was one of us without a doubt. And losing her was so apparent, so huge, especially for me because I work from home.
It might sound strange, but I wanted to honor her in some way. So, like in A Dog's Purpose, I reincarnated her into Oscar, and I gave him to one of my characters who needed him the most-Jenna Peterson. She was introduced in my debut romance novel, Before You Go, so if you haven't read it, go out and download it now. It's Free on all sales channels.
For years, readers have asked me to tell Jenna and Michael's story and after I lost Piper, it seemed like a perfect time.
Animals make me so happy, so please share your pets with me on social media-and I'll do the same. Whenever my son has a bad day at school, I bring my phone into his bedroom and we watch animal videos before he falls asleep. Having that unconditional love of a pet is something everyone deserves, so if you are on the fence, Go get one!