Hearts of Iron Read online

  Lance wanted to hold her, tell her it would all be okay. He found the genuine expression on her face so irresistible he just couldn’t fight her any longer. But he needed desperately to believe that she really wanted him, still needed him.

  “What about using me… to keep me out their way? Wasn’t too much of a sacrifice, I hope?”

  She searched his face, brow pinched tight. “What? Is that what you think?”

  Lance gulped at the possibility he might be wrong. She appeared insulted by his questions. But he’d met smart women before; they wrapped his brothers around their fingers with cute pouting lips and butter-wouldn’t-melt attitudes. He wouldn’t fall for it.

  “Say it and mean it. Say what we did meant more than…”

  “I admit, I got you back to my place that day to avoid answering your question. I knew the law would be arriving the following day and didn’t want to have to deal with your club alone.”

  I was right! “What did you think we’d do?”

  “That’s just it. I thought you might go crazy.” She grabbed his arm. “I panicked.”

  He snatched himself free, “So you did use me. Fuck!” He felt as though his head might explode with hurt and grabbed both temples.

  Katie wrapped her arms around him, squeezing his waist. “No, no!” she screamed. “Stop thinking that, please.”

  Lance stepped away, unwrapping her tiny arms from around him. “Just leave.” He had to look away; he hadn’t cried since he was boy and he sure as hell wasn’t about to cry in front of a woman.

  “Please, Lance. You made me feel more than I’ve ever felt for a man. That’s why things happened between us. I’ve thought about us on a loop since you left my house.” She touched his hand, her tiny fingers entwining with his. His heart beat furiously, bursting with emotions he had never felt.

  He wanted to respond, wanted to tell her how precious she was to him already. But he felt ridiculous. They barely knew each other. The tension of heartache ebbed away a little, replaced by lust.

  “I’m eating a huge slice of humble pie—help a girl out? Say something, please.” She stood on tiptoes to kiss his mouth.When he felt her trembling lips on his, his spine straightened.

  “Why me?” he said, touched her tear-soaked face. “You could have anyone.”

  “Because from the first time I saw you in the hospital, there was something between us.”

  Excitement bubbled in his stomach, and his lungs finally accepted air. Could she really be saying this, meaning this? About him?

  She kissed his fingers, each one. “I’m yours Lance. This is real for me, real enough that if you could possibly give me another chance, I’ll do all I can to make you happy. I promise.”

  How he held himself back from taking her right there, he would never know.

  “But I do need your help, and it might be dangerous. I trust no one else to handle this mess I’ve caused. Help me, please. I’m an idiot.”

  “Wow,” he said finally, picking her up so she could straddle him. “You eat humble pie as well as you eat—”

  She silenced his filthy mouth with hers and they kissed passionately while he carried her into his trailer.

  Once inside, he sat her down on his bed, wishing he’d changed the sheets ever, and inwardly rebuked his habit of smoking indoors—again. “Sorry, this place is…”

  She pulled him to her and silenced him with more kisses again. They rolled around his bed, kissing, touching each other’s faces, reestablishing their physical closeness. “I missed you so much. I don’t understand it,” Lance admitted, genuinely confused by how he felt for a virtual stranger.

  “Oh look at you, so lost in love.” Katie giggled,

  Lance wasn’t laughing. What if she was right? Is this love—some crazy wave of unexplained emotion? So terrifying, so incredible, he hoped it would never end. He looked into Katie’s eyes, longing to spy on her thoughts, to really see what she thought about him. Insecurity was never something he suffered from, especially not with women. But right then, he felt vulnerable in her tiny hands. “What if I am? Would you laugh at me? Would you join me? Or would you run away screaming?”

  Katie stopped teasing, her pupils dilated, her cheeks flushed. “You’re serious? Are you teasing me again?”

  Lance wiped the dampness from her cheeks, held the face he knew that somehow, he loved, between his hands, and said, “I’m so fucking serious.” And as he made this confession, one he feared he’d never make, a lump formed in his throat.

  Katie gasped a little, as if breathing became difficult. “I thought, I just never thought you’d… But yes, I want to stay with you.”

  They were in love, even if it was one day in the life, one moment in time. For whatever reason, two very different human beings connected and wished to remain connected from then on.

  She smiled softly, letting his hair fall through her fingers, moonlight bathing her in silver. She said, “You have such beautiful hair.”

  He smiled lazily. “For a guy, you mean?” he was transfixed by her every gesture, lost in overflowing emotions.

  Katie stroked his shaggy beard. “Even this is sexy. I used to hate facial hair, but now…”

  He kissed Katie absently, allowed his hand to cradle her ass. “…But now?”

  Lance watched as she searched his face with her pale green gaze and said, “Now there’s you, who are too, too perfect for words.”

  He wanted her then, wanted to make her feel how hearing that made him feel. Wanted to explain how he felt about her. But how?

  She took his hand in hers and kissed his palm; such a tender action.

  “I’m not good with words Katie, but…” He looked away from her for clarity, then thought of something. “Look, let me see to the lawmen and their scum.” He kissed her button nose, her hot salty cheeks. “Then I’ll show you.” Winking, he added, “I’m a man of action, not words.”

  Katie’s breathing hitched, “I wouldn’t be here with you if I wanted a poet.” Her gaze dashed around his face, and then her lips parted and she kissed him slowly, her tongue wrapping around his.

  Lance threaded his fingers through her hair, rolled her onto her back. “I don’t know if I can leave you just yet. “He kissed her throat, pulled her shirt open, popping the buttons that didn’t open quickly enough. He sat up on his knees. “Tell me to stop before it’s too late.”

  Katie breathed heavily and remained silent.

  Lance needed her like oxygen, yet his need made him breathless. She writhed beneath him and looked just about the most beautiful creature he’d ever seen. “I need you so damn much.” He kissed her. “What about the law?”

  “Take all that you need.” Katie held her arms out to him, panting. “Be my lover before my hero.”

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  Katie bared her soul, laid her heart on the line, left her ego at the door. Right or wrong, she had feelings for this man and wanted him in her life. And she believed he felt the same.

  Sure, her friends might question her mental health at first—she’d done a complete 360 on her opinion of him and his kind. But that was because of her ignorance; nothing else. And they would see passed the tats, the patched leather vest, the bike, and know, through her—the man.

  Or not; she really didn’t care right then.

  She oozed love and desire for him. Her pussy longed to hold onto his cock as much as her arms longed to hold onto him. His fierce emotion and his confession of love had touched her so deeply, more even than he had physically, and that said a lot.

  He kissed his way down her neck, nipping at sensitive skin. Elevating her upper body to remove her blouse, he revealed her red lace bra. His pale eyes darkened with desire before she removed his t-shirt. Everything about him on the outside was hard and strong, so primitive and carnal. But she knew how the soft features of his crystalline blue eyes, his full mouth, the silky golden waves of his hair, all offered glaring clues to his true nature. Sure he could be wild and untamed. He could knock a thug out w
ith one punch. But he was also capable of forgiveness, compassion, and honest love.

  He unclasped the front fastener of her bra, revealing the soft mounds of her breasts. “Christ, you’re beautiful.” He leaned down slowly and took a rigid nipple in his mouth, suckling gently before licking it with the flat surface of his tongue. “I haven’t been able to get your taste off my mind all day.”

  Katie moaned at his touch, her need growing fiercer. Taking matters into her own hands, she unbuckled and unbuttoned his jeans. “Let’s get naked. Clothes are in the way.”

  “You need this?” He beamed, fisting his swollen, claustrophobic cock.

  Katie pushed him backward, allowing her space to stand. Lance watched while she quickly removed her skirt and panties. “I need you.” Once naked, she raked her nails through soft hair over his chest, enjoying when he shuddered. “Get naked, quick.”

  Lance stood, and his jeans fell to rest sexily on his hips. Pubic hair was peeking up over the top, until he pushed the jeans down and they fell further, revealing his giant, purple-headed cock, ready and raring to go. “You have no idea what that hungry look in your eyes does to me.”

  “Oh,” said Katie, licking her lips and glaring at his cock. “I think I do.” Then she cupped her breast, enjoying how doing so made her pussy pulse in preparation for him.

  Lance straddled her, kissed her with such passion their teeth banged together, and they were panting in each other’s eager mouths. His kisses soon moved downwards again, to resume his treatment of her breasts. The contrast of gentle massage and tongue friction drove Katie wild. “Oh Lance, I need you. All of you.”

  Lance moved lower, dragging his long wet tongue from back to front of her entrance, hooking beneath her folds, finding her throbbing clit. He prepared her, moving from one, to two, to three fingers until her hips road them expertly.

  Then he prowled back up, his thick arms on either side of her head, the look of the wild about him. His messy mane hung around his broad shoulders, his eyes so dark with lust you’d never guess they were blue, and his breathing deep and slow. His tummy lowered, one hand steering his heavy cock in place, his gaze locked onto hers. Slowly he entered her, inch by glorious inch. Filling her up physically, like no one else. But he also filled her emotionally, as he moved slowly, kissing her cheeks, her mouth, her eyelids—so softly, like a whisper.

  “I wanna be so close to you,” he said, searching her face for something. “If I could I’d climb inside you and never come out.”

  “You are inside, and I love it.”

  He smiled and kissed her softly, working his tongue with such sensuality she sighed audibly, gripping onto the bed sheets.

  “I know.” He nibbled on her ear lobes, then whispered, “but I need to be closer. I don’t think I’ll ever get close enough to you.” He hoisted her upper body into his arms, holding her so that she was lost in his embrace. “I’ll never get enough of you, Katie,” he whispered, squeezing, grinding, nibbling on the crease between her neck and her shoulder.

  She gulped back a joyful sob, placed her cheek against his pounding heart. He’d said it perfectly—exactly how she felt. “Oh,” she began, holding back tears, “And you said you weren’t a man of words.”

  He bought her face to his, eyes drinking her in. “I need your mouth.” He kissed her deeply as he plunged deep inside of her.

  Katie sucked in a startled gasp against his hungry lips as he thrust.

  Lance continued impaling her powerfully. Each grinding plunge of his hips encouraged a slow burn of erotic, emotionally intense pleasure. When he came up for air, he said, “…and only your mouth.”

  He couldn’t be clearer about how he felt about her, and she couldn’t have felt safer, more needed, more desired, more loved, anywhere else, with anyone else, in her world.

  Their bodies joined, his arms wrapped around her, her legs wrapped around his back, they made love face to face, mouth to mouth. They ground against each other for the pure need of closeness and connection until they both groaned in tandem, trembling on the edge of the precipice of their perfect union.

  “I love you,” cried Katie as her orgasm stole away her fear.

  And as crazy as she knew it was, she really did.

  ***

  Lance’s heart had never felt so contented. So filled up with the “good stuff.” He thought the smile of his face might never leave and found it incredibly difficult to keep his hands off of Katie while they both dressed.

  “Stop, already. My pussy needs some healing time. At least until after…”

  “Hey, you don’t worry about all that.” He ignored her protests and pulled her in for a cuddle. “I’ll sort the law problem out. Of course I will.”

  She pulled away. “I appreciate that, I do. But what’s the plan?”

  He shrugged.

  “Tell me you have a plan. They have guns. I won’t… lose you.”

  Lance reveled in her need of him, her concern for his safety. “I’ll be fine. I got serious reasons to be now.” He stroked her face.

  “Stop fooling around.” She beamed, then frowned again. “Why didn’t I listen to you, Lance? I’m such a fool, and now you’re in danger.”

  “The only thing I’m in danger of is never leaving this trailer.” He winked and kissed her cheek.

  She lowered her gaze and saw his problem. Her eyebrows rose. “Oh, I see. Ready to go for it all the time?”

  He placed his hands on her ass and rested his forehead against hers. “Only for you.”

  “Oh yeah? Sounds… serious.” Stepping back she put her hands on her hips and looked to the basin. “Now, should I carry a spare toothbrush in my bag for sleepovers… or just move in?”

  Lance tickled her while she giggled.

  His phone vibrated in his back pocket, disturbing their fun. “Yeah,” he answered, laughing.

  “We got us some law trouble on camp. You coming?”

  “I’m on my way. And leave them to me. I got this.” He hung up and looked at Katie, whose expression dropped. “It’s time. Take your car home or stay here; up to you.”

  She shook her head and grabbed her car keys. “Um, I’m coming with you. It’s all my fault remember?”

  He smiled, loving her courage for one so small and, physically at least, so fragile. “You don’t even know where I’m going, or what I’m going to do.”

  “I’ll follow you. I’ll find out when we get there.”

  Lance laughed, splashed his face with cold water, and dragged damp fingers through his golden waves. Grabbing his keys he said, “You can try.”

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  Katie couldn’t keep up as Lance predicted, though she sure did try. And her car was pretty fast, just not as fast as his Hog. He did not intend to endanger her life or let her see how he took care of business. If things got messy, he didn’t want her to see him with blood on his hands. He wanted her to see him as a decent man; he cared what she thought.

  When he arrived at camp, four lawmen sat tied up and gagged in the center by the roaring campfire. “Hey, good job guys. Never expected you to get these pinned down tonight, not after dealing with those ugly fuckers and the whiskey we drank to celebrate.” He grinned and Josh shook hands in greeting. “Thought you were heading to Josie’s for the night.”

  “She threw me out again, “ Josh said, shrugging. “Felt like causing a little trouble, so a few of us rounded these sons-o’-bitches up and brought them here, ready for you.”

  Lance had already planned to deal with the lawmen when they arrived, but as soon as he’d seen Katie in the bar he knew he had to move quickly. The distress they had caused her made him want to pummel their faces.

  Lance came to Miller from Hampton, Florida. The most corrupt place in the U.S. He saw how law went out the window for decent folks when the underworld took over. Of course, if they had turned out to be legitimate, he might have let things lie. Let the law have Miller; as long as they got out of his way, they’d stay out of theirs. But he wouldn’t
let scum take over his town. He sure as hell wouldn’t allow them to intimidate his lady. Lance planned on getting rid of them. He just wasn’t sure how to go about it.

  Since he and Katie had made up, it became even more important for things to go… smoothly. He couldn’t face her with blood-stained hands. She radiated goodness, in spite of her irresistibly dark bedroom style, and he wanted to deserve her.

  Besides, killing just caused too much trouble for everyone. Killing the law was downright stupid. “So Sheriff, seems you pissed off the wrong doctor today. And Doc is my lady. You piss her off, you find yourself in a huge pile of the brown stuff. You hear me?”