Eight Seconds (Siren Publishing Classic) Read online

  J.C. smiled seductively. His hat blocked the sun from his eyes, but they seemed to sparkle anyway. Sweat beaded on his forehead and the muscular chest partially revealed under his half-unbuttoned shirt. Danielle hadn’t ever witnessed a more gorgeous sight than this man in all his hard-working, sweaty glory.

  The faded denim jeans outlined the cock she was becoming very curious about. She bit her bottom lip at she looked up into his inviting blue eyes.

  “Hi,” Danielle said, at a loss for words. Words couldn’t capture the chemistry at work between them. J.C.’s body seemed to communicate to hers a thousand words without the use of speech. When she trembled, his jaw clenched tight. Danielle smiled and noted how his eyes turned dark with desire.

  J.C. grinned devilishly, and her pussy tingled with awareness of how he felt. The sexual tension rose to levels that topped the charts. Danielle stood fascinated and in awe of the desire she held for him. She had never encountered anyone who could stir her inside the way J.C. was able to.

  “I appreciate you helping my mom out. She always seems to take on too much. I, uh, get the idea she likes you,” J.C. said smiling.

  Danielle blushed. “I like her, too.”

  Evelyn bustled around the table, perfecting her décor and placing serving spoons next to the dishes. The guests had started to arrive. Some were making their way toward the barn while others cooled off under the large maple trees. Stacy had spied Will and quickly departed.

  “Well, I need to hit the shower. I would ask if you’d like to join me, but, uh, I can see you’re busy,” J.C. teased.

  Danielle gasped. “J.C., really.” She smacked him in the arm but for once wasn’t offended or mad. She was turned on and curious at the idea. The thought of the shower spray sending trickles of water down his taut and muscular body caused her panties to become wet, hello again. Her breathing quickened as a wide smile appeared on her face.

  “Ah, at least you’re interested. I knew it.” J.C. brushed a stray hair out of her face. He was on pins and needles lately with working on a weeklong hard-on and no relief. He hoped to remedy that, soon.

  “Don’t get your hopes up, Mr. Evans,” Danielle said, and turned and walked away. A girl had to make a guy work for it, didn’t she?

  J.C. grinned and headed toward his truck. With his imagination running nine thousand miles an hour and his cock set to completely erect, he set out toward his house at the other side of the ranch.

  Evelyn smiled as she handed another dish to Danielle. “You have completely enamored my son, and I can’t say I’ve ever seen him like this.”

  Danielle couldn’t help but smile. Things were looking better and better all the time.

  * * * *

  J.C. turned the shower to cold and stepped in. The frigid blast did nothing for his current problem. This was just insane. He’d had many women in his days, lots of nice looking women, but he had forgotten every one of them except Danielle. Technically, he couldn’t claim to have had her, though he may have had her interest at one time. She excited him more and intrigued him more than any woman he’d ever dreamed of.

  It was crazy to think he wanted to settle down at all. He’d once sworn he would never fall into that lifestyle. Well, he learned something else new today…never say never.

  J.C. had been beginning to think maybe Danielle’s ice barrier would not fall. He smiled. He was melting it bit by bit, and he was not becoming someone else to do so. That was important for him, to be himself and not use the bait and switch shticks like so many did. Nah, he wanted Danielle to know exactly what she would be getting, the good, the bad, all of it. He wanted her to fall for him in spite of himself.

  * * * *

  “Danielle, I can’t thank you enough for helping me out,” Evelyn said with a smile. “It never occurs to me how much work I put on myself when I start something like this.”

  Danielle laughed. “J.C. said you take on too much.”

  “These men and this ranch, I tell ya, they’re a lot of work but worth it.”

  Danielle smiled. She understood perfectly. “Anything else?”

  “No, I think we have most of it under control now. Tonight won’t be a large crowd, just close friends and family. Tomorrow the real fun begins when business customers come and new potential buyers.” Evelyn wiped the sweat from her brow. “Why don’t you take a break? The pool is empty, and besides, you’re a guest.”

  “I really don’t mind helping at all. If you need anything, just ask. I’d be happy to help,” Danielle said, and she meant it.

  “Thank you, dear, I can see why my son has his eyes on you.”

  Danielle blushed. “I will take you up on the pool, but I’ll come back in a little bit and check in on you.”

  Danielle quickly changed into her bikini. It was hot, and the humidity was high causing her to become a sweaty mess. A quick dip in the pool then a cool shower later before the festivities sounded too good to pass up.

  The sun was bright as Danielle came out of the house. She donned her sunglasses and a cover-up over her bikini then made her way across the expansive lawn toward the pool.

  “Wow,” she whispered as she opened the gate and walked in. The pool was large and kidney-shaped. One side offered a diving board and slide. The shallow end had a table in the water with a large red umbrella. A huge outdoor kitchen and bar, complete with thatch roof and big screen television, sat adjacent to the pool. The pool house was beautiful with its French doors and windows that covered the entire backside facing the pool.

  “They know how to seriously entertain,” Danielle whispered again as she laid her phone and cover-up on a chair underneath another large umbrella.

  The far side of the pool had a magnificent rock display complete with waterfall. Large potted palms and ferns softened the hard angles, making it an oasis out in the hot Oklahoma sun.

  Danielle waded into the cool water and listened to the tranquil trickling created by the rocks. Ah, a girl could get used to this. Maybe one day she would build into a life that afforded her some of these comforts.

  J.C. walked by the gate and whistled. If he would have known Danielle would be in that pool sooner, he would be in his swim trunks now. Better yet, maybe he could lure her into the pool late tonight when everyone on the place was asleep and really enjoy skinny-dipping like he should have last night.

  Damn, he hadn’t been using his head lately… rather, his brain. He should have left the spotlight in the truck, stripped off his own clothes, and jumped off the bridge and surprised her by being naked himself. Ouch, thoughts of her naked body with cool water perking her nipples into hard peaks brought his dick back to life.

  Danielle looked up and smiled. J.C. looked fantastic in his tight denim jeans. His button-down, blue, plaid shirt and signature belt buckle only added more to his sex appeal. The hat was the cherry on the top though. Oh how she would love to see him only wearing that hat. What a glorious image—his lean, muscular naked body, his seductive eyes, killer smile, and that hat. Wow, maybe she could arrange that.

  Great. She was starting to sound, or rather think, like Stacy. She couldn’t help it. J.C. was eye candy, and she wanted to run her tongue all over him and taste every inch of him.

  J.C. walked in smoothly and shut the gate behind him. He found it wise to sit before the obvious was noticed by Danielle. She didn’t need to know how much she affected him. It was for the best he didn’t have his swim trunks on. He was sure once he came in contact with her, he might not keep his hands to himself. That wouldn’t go over well considering more guests would be arriving soon, and hell, a few minutes alone with her would not be enough, not even close.

  Danielle continued to swim, fully aware of J.C.’s eyes on her. She needed to swim off her nerves, the trembling in her hands, and the hitch in her breathing that she couldn’t seem to calm.

  Looking at that man did things to her. She was becoming a very horny sexual being. Never before had she became so revved just by looking at someone. She looked in his direct
ion as she swam by.

  J.C. leaned back in the lounge chair, hat shading his eyes, arms folded behind his head, and a grin on those kissable lips. She was sure he smelled as good as he looked.

  “Oh, heaven help me,” she murmured under her breath as she completed another lap. If the whole world would go away, she would climb out of this pool and directly into his lap. Shake it off, swim stupid, swim.

  J.C. glanced down at his watch. It was nearing six, and more guests would start to arrive shortly after. He knew Danielle would want to shower and ready herself. Part of him wanted to remind her of the time, while the other wanted to help her in said shower. Better yet, he could watch her a little longer in her bright-orange bikini that showed off her incredible tan, not to mention look at her breasts barely covered by the top.

  This sucked, worse than sucked. He sat in his chair hard as rock, knowing he was going to have to get up out of the chair soon. He needed relief in the worse way. Could he wind up with blue balls?

  “Gorgeous, it’s almost six.” J.C. smiled. He hated to say the words, but at least he would have the opportunity to see her come out of the water where he could take in all her delicious features and save them to memory.

  Stacy opened the gate with Will close behind. “Hey, thanks for the invite,” Stacy yelled out to Danielle.

  Danielle waded through the shallow water toward the stairs smiling. “I figured you were busy.” She was sure busy didn’t quite cover what had been going on the last three hours.

  “We can swim tonight,” Will purred in Stacy’s ear, causing her to squeal.

  Danielle rolled her eyes with a grin as she stepped out the pool. J.C. waited with a towel and a smile.

  “Thank you,” Danielle said as J.C. draped the towel around her shoulders.

  “You are killing me. I hope you know that,” J.C. said in a playful tone. His eyes hinted of danger and long overdue promises.

  “Ah, well, don’t look then,” Danielle teased as she walked toward her belongings in the chair. “I have a date with the shower. See y’all in a little bit.” She winked and gave another glance over her shoulder to see J.C. just one more time. Trouble, he is trouble, fantastically, heavenly trouble.

  “Wait, I’ll go with you, I better get ready, too.” Stacy jogged up close beside Danielle.

  J.C. frowned. He had hoped to sneak up to the house and catch Danielle exiting the bathroom. So much for hopes, he thought, as he fell in step beside Will.

  “Looks like Danielle might not hate you as much as I thought. Huh, I was sure you couldn’t charm her. I almost took bets on it,” Will teased as he elbowed J.C.

  “I told you, she’s secretly wild about me.” J.C. grinned as he walked.

  “It looks like you are wild about her. And it’s no secret. I never thought I’d see the day. You are really into her, aren’t you?” Will asked.

  J.C. smiled and thought a moment. “Actually, I have always been crazy about her, and I was just too stupid to see it, till now.”

  That summed him up completely. He was amused at the thought. He had been stupid. Did stupid cover it?

  Now he was seeing clearly with his eyes and his heart. His only worry currently was keeping her close and somehow changing her mind about the job in Tulsa.

  Would she allow an opportunity like that to slip away? He sure as hell didn’t deserve it. He didn’t deserve her, but he wanted her. He felt a tug at his heart as he pictured her smiling and winking at him. That warmed him, excited him. Although he hated to admit it openly to Will and to himself, he was in love with her. Now he had to find out whether Danielle was in love with him.

  * * * *

  “OMG, we had sex the entire time. Will is a god, I swear.” Stacy chatted up Danielle with her sexual exploits as she opened her suitcase.

  “Nice to hear, thanks for sharing,” Danielle smarted off. She didn’t mind, but it wasn’t helping her immediate problem either. Watching J.C. sit in the lounge chair smiling at her in the pool had built her internal fire up considerably.

  The thoughts flooded back from the night at the bar when he had her pinned against the wall, and she lost her breath. She could still feel his fingers glide up her arm, leaving goose bumps behind. His lips were sinfully close. She ached as she pictured them. The proximity to J.C. was exhilarating.

  “You, um, seem to be nicer to J.C. today. Anything to tell?” Stacy said with a sly tone.

  “Nope,” Danielle said as she walked out of the room and toward the shower.

  “Heifer,” Stacy called out as Danielle laughed and shut the bathroom door behind her.

  Inside the shower, Danielle tried to focus on the business at hand but drifted off into a sexual escapade with J.C. Every part of her body was on pins and needles. Her own touch as she washed furthered her sexual euphoria. She would have to give in and fall into a bed with J.C. and soon. The sensations caused by their verbal foreplay and his seductive looks had left her hungry and aching in a way she had never experienced before. What do I have to lose? Oh, right…my heart, that’s all.

  * * * *

  Danielle walked out the backdoor of the house toward the festivities, already in full swing. Cars and trucks were still coming down the driveway as the tables filled up. Talk about having a lot of family and friends.

  The first order of business was to find Evelyn. How that woman could put on a spread like this amazed her. Although the barbecue had been hired out and guests had brought dishes of their own to add, it was still quite a bit to plan alone.

  “Evelyn, there you are.” Danielle smiled. “Can I do anything to help you?”

  Evelyn smiled. “No, dear, all is ready to go. I have hired a few local teens, and they’re keeping up with ice and drinks. They’re great help.”

  “Okay, I guess I will…” Danielle trailed off. What did she do now? Stacy and Will were nowhere to be seen, and J.C. was, well, missing also.

  “Sweetie, you must be starving. Go fix yourself a plate and have a seat. I’m sure you worked up quite an appetite helping me this afternoon.”

  Danielle smiled as her stomach growled. “I guess I did.”

  J.C. stood talking with his dad and uncles but didn’t miss the appearance of Danielle walking through the crowd. Her soft, golden-blonde hair whipped in the light breeze, and her radiant smile could stop traffic. He was quite pleased with how she was dressed. It was simple but on her looked incredible. The white, lacy halter tapered around her waist, and wow, did it ever show off cleavage. Plain black shorts, silver earrings, and sexy, black, strappy sandals completed the outfit. Mine.

  His cool resolve was falling to pieces. He tried to think about anything else besides pulling the string of her halter and allowing it to free her perfect… Ah shit.

  There he stood, erect again. He shoved his hand down into his pocket to hide what his jeans failed to. He turned away from where she sat and tried to talk about anything, think about anything else.

  “Will and I finished up the steers earlier this afternoon,” J.C. said, knowing his father already knew that. Dumbass.

  Will and Stacy joined Danielle at the table. Their sweet, loving nature toward each other was almost too sweet for Danielle. Maybe she was jealous. That’s it, jealousy. She smiled as she sipped her iced tea.

  The brisket was out of this world, along with the potato salad, macaroni salad, coleslaw, fresh garden tomatoes…Ah, she was in food heaven. Savoring each bite, she thought of all the women that had made these dishes. Most all were married. And more than likely these recipes were passed down to them over the years from mothers and grandmothers. There was something so heartwarming and comforting in the thought of setting roots and being near relatives and friends.

  She would miss out on all of this if she accepted a job in Tulsa. She would sit in a lonely apartment in a big city or work twelve-hour shifts in a hospital, while miles away friends and family would gather for meals like this. Having wings and roots were proving difficult to have at the same time.

  Dani
elle wiped her mouth with her napkin. She had made short work of her plate, and hopefully not a pig of herself. Dessert was out of the question. Too much good food had passed over her lips. Maybe later, she thought.

  All of a sudden, something hit Danielle in the chest with a smack. It took less than a second to realize she had been hit with a large water balloon. Will and Stacy laughed while others at the table seemed stunned.

  Danielle looked up to see J.C. standing about fifteen feet away smiling. His mother walked up behind him and smacked him in the head.

  “J.C., I swear, what has gotten into you?” Evelyn asked with her brows pulled close together in irritation. J.C. smiled. “For heaven’s sake, she is wearing a white blouse.”

  “I know.” J.C. grinned, never taking his eyes off Danielle as he watched the fury build in her.

  “You go take her to house and get her another shirt. The men are starting to stare,” Evelyn said as she smacked him again.

  J.C. meandered to the table where Danielle sat indignant and fuming. Damn, she looked good wet. “Come on, I’ll take you to house.”

  Danielle got up and mustered as much dignity as she could with her wet, now see-through, blouse on. “I can manage just fine without help from you.”

  “Honey,” J.C. said as he looked at his watch, “the wet T-shirt contest doesn’t start until eight.”

  Fire flamed in Danielle’s eyes as she stomped toward the house. Will and Stacy were caught between laughter and seriousness.

  “Uh-oh, J.C. has done screwed up again,” Will said while watching his brother follow behind Danielle to the house.

  Danielle swung open the backdoor and let it go in time to smack J.C. in the head as he entered.

  “Oww,” J.C. hollered.

  “Huh, serves you right,” Danielle said as she made her way through the house toward the stairs, her sandals clicking quickly on the wood floor.