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had, and it infuriated her.
 Come on, Zeke, you know better than that, Rowdy bit out.  Kelly
needed some time out. I thought the cove would be safe& 
 I m not a fool, Rowdy, the sheriff growled.  I m not buying that shit
and neither is your daddy. He nodded to where Ray was staring back at
his son with a heavy scowl.
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Lora Leigh
 I m old enough that my daddy s opinion either way doesn t sway me,
Zeke, Rowdy snapped back.  Now why don t you let me take Kelly home
to rest& 
 Kelly, letting these three mix you up in some crazy scheme to catch
this stalker is a bad idea. The sheriff hunched down in front of the
chair, staring back at her intently as she fought to keep her breathing
even.  Let me handle this. We ll catch him.
 You haven t yet, she whispered, shaking her head as anger and fear
collided inside her.
Damn them all. She felt like a bone in the middle of a pack of wild
dogs.
Compassion filled the sheriff s eyes.  I m not a vigilante, sweetheart.
When he s caught, I need the law on my side, not his. Kelly, if these boys
suspect someone, I need to know.
 If I suspected anyone, you d know it, Zeke. Rowdy s voice was hard,
cold.  Now leave her the hell alone.
 God, stop snapping around me. Kelly jerked to her feet, causing the
sheriff to straighten and stare down at her with a heavy scowl.  All of
you. I ve had enough for tonight. I didn t see anyone. I didn t hear
anything. We were on the lake to get the hell away from the bastard s
phone calls. That was all.
She pushed her fingers through her hair, aware of the strained
silence filling the room. She glanced over at her mother, and saw
knowledge there. They knew why she was at the lake with the three
cousins. She and Ray knew, and though Kelly felt no embarrassment, no
shame at the knowledge, what she did feel was a sudden certainty that
this wasn t a relationship she could endure.
Not because of the knowledge. Not because of morality. Because she
didn t love them. She loved Rowdy, and the discontent, the subtle anger
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building inside her for days now over his expectations were clawing at
her heart. The attack had only reinforced it. She was tired of being
controlled. Period. First by a damned stalker and then by her need to
please Rowdy.
 I m ready to go home. She shook her head before lifting her chin
and staring around the room.  Now. I need to sleep and I need to think.
 You can go home. Sheriff Mayes nodded.  But I may need to ask
you some more questions tomorrow.
 Fine. Whatever.
 Just a minute and I ll drive you&  Rowdy began.
 I ll ride with Mom and Ray, she told him, ignoring the surprise that
swept across his face.  I need to think, Rowdy. We can talk later.
 Kelly. He caught her arm as she moved to step past him.  We ll be
right behind you.
We.
She moved her gaze over his cousins. She had been in their arms, felt
their hunger and their lust, and despite the pleasure, she could feel her
anger building. They were like little boys desperate to keep their newest
toy close to them.
She inhaled deeply.  Whatever you want to do, Rowdy.
She pulled her arm from his grip before moving to Ray and her
mother.
 Sure? Ray asked her quietly.
 I just want to go home, she muttered.  Now.
Rowdy, Natches and Dawg moved from the store with them. She was
aware of how they placed themselves around her, protectively, shielding
her. She felt smothered instead as she moved into the backseat of her
stepfather s Laredo.
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Lora Leigh
Within minutes they were heading to the house, a fucking convoy of
vehicles. Dawg and Natches were in front of the Laredo with Rowdy
bringing up the rear.
 Kelly&  Her mother began softly.
 Not now, Mom. She huddled into the backseat, wishing she could
make sense of the emotions clouding her heart, her mind. Trying to make
sense of her anger.
Rowdy was taking her over. Forceful. Dominant. He was so certain he
knew what she needed, but Kelly had seen what she needed, and it
wasn t what he was offering.
It was the reason she couldn t make the choice. Why she fought
Rowdy every time he pushed for her to make a conscious decision about
her needs. It was why she had wanted to be seduced, because she knew
it wasn t a choice she could make.
Maybe she just wasn t naughty enough for the man she loved, or his
cousins.
ad
He was a fool. Rowdy followed the Laredo, his thoughts as confused
as the emotions he had glimpsed raging in Kelly s eyes. He ached, and it
wasn t because of the attack. That just pissed him off. No, he ached
because the attack had been a diversion he had begun praying for just
before it happened. A way to pull Kelly from Dawg s arms, make certain
the fingers filling her tight ass were gone, the touch to her clit no one s
but his own.
Jealousy had begun to mar the pleasure even before the sounds of
gunshots and the whiz of bullets tearing through the cabin had sent
them all crashing to the floor.
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What the hell was he supposed to do now? Dawg and Natches had
protected her for the past four years from the bastards desperate to get
into her pants. His two cousins hadn t touched her because of the
understanding of the relationship that would evolve later. Even though
Rowdy knew they had hungered for her almost as desperately as he had.
Had he not been so intent on running those last four years, of being
certain what he wanted, the attack wouldn t have happened. He would
have been there to protect her, to keep that bastard from touching her.
But what would have happened to the relationship he had always
envisioned?
He realized now that the shift in his desires had begun before he
returned home. Hell, before he took that last tour in the Marines. He
hadn t wanted to face it, and now it was slamming into his face with the
force of a sledgehammer.
He was risking everything he had come home for and he hadn t even
realized it. His own arrogance, his own certainty that he hadn t, that he
couldn t change. That the sexual pleasures that had always been such a
part of his life would remain the same.
Kelly was changing the rules. She was changing him.
Rowdy rubbed at his neck wearily, blowing out a frustrated breath as
he turned into the driveway of his father s home, his eyes scanning the
well-lit exterior. Dawg and Natches had pulled to the sides of the
driveway, keeping Ray s Laredo between their vehicles with Rowdy
bringing up the rear.
Turning off the ignition, Rowdy opened the door and stepped from his
pickup as Ray, Maria and Kelly slowly stepped from the Laredo.
With a flick of his fingers he sent Natches ahead of them to check out
the house before Kelly entered. His eyes continued to scan the exterior,
the hairs on the back of his neck tingling as he moved closer to Kelly.
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Lora Leigh
She leaned into him as his arm went around her. Damn, she was
exhausted, terrified. What the hell was he going to do about her? As the
warmth of her swept through his body, the possessiveness growing inside
him seemed to expand, strengthen.
Leading her toward the house, he kept his senses on alert as Natches
slipped in ahead of them, with Dawg following close behind.
 Rowdy, we need to talk, Kelly whispered as they stepped up to the
porch.
 We will, baby. He bent his head, kissing the top of her head before [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]