Читать книгу The Family Feud: The Family Feud / Stop The Wedding?! - Carol Finch, Carol Finch - Страница 12

MORGAN LAY THERE like an overturned beetle, his eyes bugging out. His body was vibrating like a paint mixer after the jarring fall. His brain echoed with Janna’s shocking admission. A virgin? She was still a virgin? His forbidden, X-rated fantasies of getting to know Janna in the most intimate sense—on the couch, the dining table, in the shower and eventually on the bed—had just been shot all to hell.

Janna appeared above him, her glorious mane of hair tumbling around her face. She flashed him an impish grin, obviously delighted that she’d gotten his goat. Morgan just couldn’t let it slide—maybe it was the natural-born competitor in him. “So, you’re telling me you’re still carrying a torch for me, hmm? Well, I’ll be damned, sugarbritches.”

She shot him a sour glower while she loomed over him. “Don’t be a world-class ass, Morgan. I was just starting to like you again.”

When she whipped around to return to her chair, Morgan lay there, wondering if he should apologize for ruining her love life. A virgin? Damn, he just couldn’t seem to wrap his mind around that concept. He thought twenty-eight-year-old virgins were extinct. Apparently there was one on the endangered list and she’d returned to the Land of Oz.

When he stopped to consider how much he’d learned about Janna in the course of one day it made his head whirl like the spin cycle of a washing machine. He’d dated and bedded other women and he hadn’t been able to pin down their traits and characteristics as easily as he could define Janna.

She was a late bloomer who believed she was second-rate compared to her mother and sister’s striking appearance—and boy, was she ever wrong about that! She’d learned not to trust the motives of men—his fault. She was well educated, devoted to her successful career and unfalteringly loyal to her family. She was honest and straightforward and had no delusions of self-importance. She impressed the hell out of him and she kept him off balance—which was why he was still sprawled in his upturned chair on the tiled floor, staring dazedly at the ceiling.

Being with Janna was like riding a roller coaster—blindfolded. Just when you caught your breath and got a grip you were plunging into another breathtaking dive and mind-spinning curve.

“Do you need help getting up?” she called to him.

No, he mused as he rolled onto all fours, then uprighted his chair. He needed help coping with the fact that he wanted to be the man who altered Janna’s low opinion of men and introduced her to intimacy. After all, he was the one who provoked her to swear off men in the first place. Didn’t it naturally follow that he should correct her misconceptions…Whoa, down boy. Don’t even go there, he scolded himself. You’ve done enough to influence her life. Just back off!

Morgan sighed inwardly as he plunked into his seat. He’d already been dragged, unwillingly, into the middle of the Mitchell family feud. Getting involved with Janna would be the dumbest thing he’d ever done. Second dumbest, he amended. Humiliating her and spoiling her perception of men twelve years ago was fast becoming the curse of his life.

Morgan kept his gaze downcast and grabbed his sandwich. After Janna’s shocking announcement he wasn’t sure how to kick start conversation. He’d never had that problem before. As she’d said, he was outgoing by nature and habit, especially after working with the public for so many years. But damn if he could think of a single, solitary thing to say.

“I’m sorry,” Janna apologized. “I can’t believe I blurted that out.”

“That makes two of us,” Morgan mumbled.

“Maybe I’ve been subconsciously using your betrayal as a defense mechanism to prevent getting hurt again, and for explaining the fact that I’m utterly lacking and inadequate in the romance department.”

Damn, she was trying to apologize, but he was feeling worse by the minute. Glumly, Morgan bit into his sandwich.

“So, now you know I haven’t had any men. Have you had a lot of women?” she asked flat-out.

Morgan sucked air—and the mouthful of ham sandwich stuck in his windpipe. While he choked and gasped, Janna bounded up like a jackrabbit to whack him soundly between the shoulder blades. After Janna performed the Heimlich maneuver he managed to fill his oxygen-deprived lungs. When his vocal apparatus began to function properly he wasn’t sure he wanted to respond to that question, but she was staring at him with persistent curiosity.

“Why do you want to know?” he bleated like a sick lamb.

She shrugged nonchalantly. “I’m trying to revise the bad impression I carried around for twelve years. Thus far, I’ve discovered you really aren’t trying to urge Dad toward your mother, that your childhood was a constant adjustment to your mother’s companions, that you have an honest affection for Dad and you aren’t trying to undermine my attempt to mend family fences.” She paused to wet her whistle with a sip of iced tea. “I just wondered if you went through women to retaliate against your mother for giving more attention to her boyfriends than to her one and only son.”

“The answer to your last question is no. I’m not into transferring revenge against Mom to other women.” He grinned rakishly. “And how many women is a lot?”

She returned his smile and he felt another jolt of awareness deliver a one-two punch to his solar plexus—and body parts below the belt buckle.

“A lot would be ten in ten years,” she decided.

“Less than ten, but not the right one, if there’s such a thing as the right one,” he qualified. “After watching Mom operate I’m leery of marriage and the divorce that inevitably follows.”

“Understandable,” she concurred. “I’ve pretty much figured I’ll be married to my job. I aspired to be the favorite aunt to Kendra’s kids, but now, who knows how long before I reach exalted aunt status?”

Janna stood up to grab the pitcher of tea and filled his glass. It occurred to Morgan that Janna was the sort of individual who simply noted what needed to be done and did it. She was nurturing, efficient, competent and aware of what transpired around her, unlike many women he’d dated who were so caught up in themselves that they’d trip over a bomb in a posted mine-field and be surprised when the ground exploded.

Damn, he liked Janna’s style. He also liked the fact that she didn’t play flirtatious games and that she wasn’t aware of how appealing and attractive she was. He supposed that, being the plain goose surrounded by two elegant blond swans, Janna had accepted her lot in life and got on with it. Well, no plain goose, this, he mused, casting her a discreet but appreciative glance. She captivated him, bewitched him without trying.

The jangling phone sent Morgan’s thoughts scattering like quail. He scooted his chair backward—carefully—to reach the phone. “Hello?”

“Morgan?” Sob, shudder and sniffle. “This is…S-Sylvia Mitchell. I c-can’t find Janna so I need you to d-deliver a message to John. I’m sure he’s out there somewhere, doing…whatever.”

“Okay,” Morgan said, his gaze fixed on Janna. His newfound protectiveness for Janna refused to let him inform Sylvia that her daughter was sitting across the table. The Mitchells had put Janna’s emotions through the wringer today. She’d relaxed and he didn’t want her stressing out again. Ask him, her family expected too much from her.

“Kendra disappeared,” Sylvia went on shakily. “I dozed off after drinking too much wine. When I woke up Kendra was gone. I’m worried sick about her. The last thing I remember her saying was that she was going to have her revenge on her two-timing ex-fiancé by giving him a taste of his own medicine…Oops, I forgot that’s not public knowledge yet.”

“Mum’s the word,” Morgan assured her. “I’ll send out a search party. Just try to get some rest and don’t worry about a thing.”

“Impossible!” Sylvia blubbered. “My whole world’s falling apart!”

Morgan hung up the phone and met Janna’s curious stare head-on. “How’s your headache?” he asked.

“Bearable,” she replied apprehensively. “What’s wrong?”

Morgan grabbed the empty plates and set them in the sink. “Your sister has gone missing. As delicately as your mother knew how, she told me Kendra is out on the prowl to punish Richard for his infidelity.”

“What!” Janna vaulted to her feet. “I’ve got to find her!”

Morgan expected as much. Janna was a one-woman rescue brigade. Her nagging headache and emotional exhaustion be damned. “We’ll take my truck,” Morgan insisted on his way to the door.

“You don’t have to help.” Janna grabbed her purse from the sofa. “I don’t want to put you to more trouble. Thanks for supper—”

Morgan latched on to her arm before she barreled through the door. “I’m going along as backup, just in case things turn ugly.”

“I can handle Kendra,” she assured him confidently.

“Maybe so, but you might not be able to handle the jackass she turns to for comfort and validation. I can provide the muscle.”

“That’s sweet of you, but I’ve imposed too much already.”

Morgan decided they could argue during their womanhunt. Time was wasting. “You aren’t imposing. You’re saving me from a dull evening of sorting socks. Besides, how am I going to learn about family dynamics unless I stick with you?” he said as he shepherded her toward his truck. “For curiosity’s sake, I’d like to watch you operate, Miss Fix-it.”

“Your significant other might not like it if we’re seen together,” she said as she hurried to keep up with his long, swift strides.

“I’m not seeing anyone seriously.” He cut her a quick glance. “But maybe you don’t want to be seen with me.”

Janna shook her head, causing that mass of curlicue strands to ripple over her shoulders like molten flames, making him itch to bury his fingers in those silky tendrils. Funny, he’d never had a fetish for running his hands through a woman’s hair before. Why now? Why her? Talk about your ill-fated attraction! He had a bad case of the hots and he needed to cool his jets.

“All I care about is rescuing my sister from a reckless fling she’ll live to regret. How could she even think about sleeping with the first man who comes along? Surely she has more respect for herself than that.”

“My guess is she isn’t thinking clearly after that wine-fest,” Morgan replied as he backed up the truck. “She’s hurting and she’s been betrayed. Her solution is to find a man who wants her on any terms and conditions.” He stared surreptitiously at her. “Unlike you, who went to the opposite extreme after I shattered your adolescent illusions.”

Janna placed her hand over his and smiled apologetically. “I shouldn’t have unloaded on you earlier, and I’m sorry about that. Could we just forget I said that?”

Not likely. Morgan was fiercely attracted to this alluring virgin. Knowing he couldn’t have her was slowly and steadily driving him crazy. As soon as they rescued Kendra, he’d keep his distance from Janna. As much as he enjoyed her company he couldn’t let himself get too involved or attached. Resolved to that sensible notion, Morgan headed toward the local beer joint to find Janna’s gone-wild sister.

JAN GRABBED the door latch, intent on leaping from the truck the moment Morgan stamped on the brake. Her sense of urgency provoked her to find her moronic sister—pdq. Jan didn’t bother to rake herself over live coals for blurting out her virgin status to Morgan. She supposed she only wanted to shock him, get a reaction from him and she’d derived wicked amusement watching him crash to the floor and gape at her in amazement.

Yet, none of that mattered at the moment, Jan mused as she bounded from the truck and hightailed it to Goober Pea Tavern. She had to save Kendra from sheer idiocy. Kendra wasn’t accustomed to being jilted and now she was determined to soothe her feminine pride by reinforcing the belief that men still wanted her.

Jan cannoned through the door, momentarily disoriented by the cloud of smoke and dimly lit interior. She could only make out shadowy silhouettes at the tables and bar. Lord, she hoped she wasn’t too late to rescue Kendra. If she’d come and gone, Jan wasn’t sure where to search next.

Squinting, Jan panned the crowded bar and studied the couples that two-stepped around the dance floor while the jukebox played Garth Brooks’s hit: “I’ve Got Friends In Low Places.” Frantically, Jan tried to locate that mop of tangled blond hair that belonged to Kendra. She felt Morgan’s reassuring presence behind her and she fully appreciated his towering height when his arm shot out to indicate the chummy couple nestled in a corner booth. Jan plunged forward, oblivious to the speculative male glances directed at her.

With Morgan hot on her heels, Jan strode up to the booth and stared disapprovingly at her inebriated sister who was half sprawled on her burly date. When the man stroked Kendra’s arm and nuzzled her neck, indignation rose inside Jan. She swatted the man’s wandering hand away from her sister.

“Hey, scram, will ya?” the blond-haired Romeo drawled. “I’m busy here. You’ll have to wait your turn, darlin’.”

“That’s my sister you’re pawing,” Jan snapped. “Back off, bozo.”

Behind her, Morgan leaned close to advise, “It’s best not to provoke a drunk. Use some tact or let me handle this.”

Before Jan could take a less-combative approach Romeo shoved her away and she stumbled against the rock-hard wall of Morgan’s chest. Jan tried to remain calm and rational, but when Romeo’s hand glided over the side of Kendra’s bosom, which was accentuated by the shrink-wrap, passion-pink dress, Jan lost her temper in one second flat.

“Hands off,” she growled. “I want to talk to my sister. Now!”

Kendra stirred sluggishly, her head lolling against Romeo’s broad shoulder. “Janna?” She blinked dazedly. “Tha’ you? Wha’re ya doin’ ’ere?”

“Saving you from disaster.” She tugged on Kendra’s limp arm. “C’mon. Let’s go.”

“Buzz off,” Romeo snarled menacingly.

Jan was in the process of dragging Kendra off the seat when Romeo grabbed a fistful of her shirt and yanked her sideways. The movement caused their pitcher of beer to splatter on her chest and dribble on the crotch of his jeans.

“Damn it to hell!” he yowled. “Now you’ve gone and done it!”

“Hey, Sonny. How’s it goin’?” Morgan asked calmly.

Romeo—or rather Sonny—blinked like an awakened owl, craned his thick neck and looked past Jan. “That you, Morgan?”

“Yep. Sorry about the interruption, but Kendra has to go home now.”

Sonny cast a droopy-eyed glance at Kendra who could barely hold up her head. “We were making plans to go to her place.”

“Some other time maybe, but not tonight. Now be a pal and unclench your hand from Janna’s blouse so she can stand up. We don’t wanna make a scene and get evicted, this being your favorite watering hole and all.”

“Janna?” Sonny Blair blinked in disbelief as he appraised her. “Damn, this isn’t the Janna I remember. The scrawny kid you French-kissed at Homecoming way back when?”

Jan inwardly cringed when Sonny snickered drunkenly. His grasp on her shirt loosened so she could upright herself. In dismay, she glanced down to see her knit blouse clinging to her like a coat of wet paint.

“Hot damn, girl,” Sonny slurred as he leered at her. “You filled out in all the right places, didn’t ya?”

“Get Kendra out of here,” Morgan murmured against her ear. “I’ll take care of Sonny.”

Jan hoisted her sister from the booth, then steadied herself when Kendra staggered drunkenly. “Damn it, Keni,” she growled at her sister. “You should have more sense than to pull a stunt like this.”

“Don’t care,” Kendra mumbled. “Besides, I wasn’t gonna sleep with Sonny, y’know. I may be tipsy but I’m not stupid. I wanna show the dog that I don’t need him. I hate men, all of ’em. Want ’em all dead.”

“Of course, you do, and for good reason,” Jan agreed—anything to keep Kendra moving toward the door. “They’re worthless, pesky creatures. I don’t know why the good Lord saw fit to populate the planet with them.”

“Me, neither,” Kendra slurred out. “Hate ’em, hate ’em.”

“Which is why hanging out with Sonny-boy isn’t the answer—” Jan jerked upright when an unseen hand patted her familiarly on the fanny.

Instinctively, she whipped around to protest, but Morgan was a step behind her, frowning warningly at her. “Just keep moving,” he advised.

“But, he—” she tried to explain.

Morgan glided his arm around her waist and clamped hold of Kendra who was wobbling like a bowling pin. “I’ll come back and beat the living hell out of your groper if that makes you happy, but let’s get Kendra home to bed first before we kick ass. Okay?”

Jan decided he was right. She wasn’t reacting logically at the moment and inciting a barroom brawl over a pat on the butt wasn’t worth the trouble. She’d be wise to take Morgan’s advice and get the hell out of here while the getting was good. She’d deal with her righteous indignation later.

Once outside, Morgan hoisted Kendra into his arms and strode quickly toward his truck. “Hold it, Morgan,” Jan objected. “I’ll drive Keni home in her car and you can get back to your farm. I’ve inconvenienced you enough for one night, but I do appreciate all your help.”

He never broke stride. “You’ll need a hand putting her in bed and it’ll be easier to haul her from my truck than from that piddling compact car.”

Jan smothered a ridiculous sensation of jealousy when her sister looped her arms around Morgan’s shoulders and pressed a string of kisses down his neck. “Kendra Rose Mitchell, behave yourself!” she shouted.

“He smells so good,” Kendra mumbled sluggishly. “Feels good, too. Better ‘an wha’s-’is-name.”

“I know he does, but five minutes ago you wanted all men dead, so just keep your lips to yourself,” Jan commanded.

Morgan propped Kendra on the seat, then turned back to Jan. “Bring her car. I’ll follow you because I don’t know where she lives.”

Jan wasn’t sure she trusted Kendra on the bench seat with Morgan. When Morgan closed the door, then pivoted toward her, she said, “You shouldn’t be within touching distance of Keni right now.”

To her surprise, Morgan bent to brush a light kiss across her lips. “Thanks for your concern about my honor, but I should be safe. I predict your little sis will pass out during the drive. Lead the way to her place and unlock her door so I can carry her inside.”

Jan was still standing there, her lips tingling, her body pulsating, when Morgan strode around the truck. Why had he kissed her? And why’d she have to like it so much? She didn’t need this on top of all else!

“Gawd, you’re losing it, too,” Jan muttered at herself. If she weren’t careful she’d turn into a basket case like her mom and sister. She was not going to go ape over Morgan again. She was a mature, sensible woman these days. That was nothing but a harmless, reassuring kiss he’d bestowed on her. It just happened to pack the wallop of a heat-seeking missile because she was emotionally distressed and ultrasensitive to the man. The kiss was nothing special, so she’d forget about it—just as soon as her traitorous body stopped quivering and coiling with awareness and desire.

MORGAN GLANCED over at his unconscious passenger, then stared at the taillights that led the way to Kendra’s place. He needed to get a grip. Unfortunately, visions of Sonny grabbing Janna by her shirt and dragging her across the table kept triggering his protective instincts. He’d wanted to punch Sonny in the chops. Then he’d wanted to kick himself in the keister when he’d ogled Janna’s beer-drenched blouse that exposed the full swell of her breasts and beaded nipples. To top it off, he’d felt the vicious urge to peel a strip off Eddie Pender’s hide when he swatted Janna’s fanny. Damn, jumbles of emotions were surging through him with Janna’s name attached.

Morgan cut Kendra another glance, surveying her long, shapely legs and the passion-pink dress that accentuated her curvaceous figure. By anyone’s standards Kendra was a knockout, but she didn’t do a thing for him, even when she’d been rubbing against him and slobbering on his neck. All he’d felt was resentment. If not for Kendra’s wild escapade to get revenge, Janna wouldn’t smell like a brewery and wouldn’t have gotten her butt patted by a local joker who hung out at Goober Pea Tavern.

And why on earth had Morgan leaned down to kiss Janna, right there in the parking lot? He had no idea. Maybe he wanted her to know that Kendra’s breathy kisses had no effect whatsoever on him. Maybe he wanted to stake his claim after Eddie and Sonny put their hands on her.

“Don’t get attached or involved,” Morgan chanted during the short drive. “It’s a dead-end street if ever there was one.”

Excellent advice—too bad he forgot it the moment Janna climbed from the car and his headlights flooded over that clingy knit shirt, curvy jean-clad hips and glinted off that flaming chestnut hair. Damn…

Morgan sighed heavily as he walked around the truck to haul Kendra off the seat. He was ready for this evening to end. His forbidden attraction to Janna and the incident at the bar had him all worked up. He needed to sleep on his sensible advice and wake up with a clear head.

He glanced down at Kendra’s limp form and grinned wryly. He was sincerely glad he wouldn’t have Kendra’s head in the morning.

“Right this way.” Janna motioned him into the apartment bedroom.

Morgan watched Janna turn down the sheets—his gaze glued to her shapely derriere—then he deposited Kendra on her bed.

“Should I undress her, do you think?” Janna asked. “I haven’t spent much time around drunks so I don’t know the standard procedure.”

“Take off her shoes and cover her up,” Morgan instructed. “The first rule of thumb is not to cater to, or pamper, drunks. They get what they’ve got coming so don’t waste much sympathy on them.”

Janna chewed thoughtfully on her bottom lip. “Maybe I should stay with her in case she gets sick. She might need me.”

“No,” Morgan contradicted. “You need your rest. Kendra brought this on herself. On rare occasions when I’ve drunk myself unconscious, I don’t want anyone around when I wake up.”

“You’re sure?” Her worried gaze lingered on her sister’s wan face.

“You wanna come back to my place, drink my bottle of wine and find out for yourself?” he asked, grinning. “Hangovers are hellish, believe me.”

“No, I guess I’ll take your word for it.” Still, she hesitated, never taking her sympathetic gaze off Kendra.

Although Morgan admired Janna’s concern for her foolish sister it was getting late. “I thought you wanted to speak to your dad tonight.”

Janna sighed audibly as she cast another glance at Kendra. “I do, but I don’t know if I can take knowing my dad and your mom might’ve been—”

When she slammed her mouth shut, Morgan smiled compassionately. “Yeah, I know. I’ve been through that before…wondering…”

“Parents,” she muttered. “And they think their kids drive them crazy?”

“Amen to that,” he seconded.

Janna’s attention swung back to Kendra. “You’ve told me all the reasons I shouldn’t stay with Keni, but I’d feel better if I were here.”

Morgan opened his mouth to object, but his brain hit the skids when Janna pushed up on tiptoe to graze his lips in a soft, tormentingly sweet kiss.

“Thanks for all your help,” she whispered.

At that precise moment, for reasons that utterly defeated him, he knew he couldn’t let it go with that one wispy kiss. At least a hundred times he’d played that deep, searing kiss of long ago over in his mind. He wanted to know if the jolt he’d received way back when was as titillating as he remembered. He didn’t wait to see if Janna would accept or reject him, just hooked his arm around her trim waist, pulled her up his torso until her feet were dangling in midair and he claimed her mouth.

Devoured her was more like it, he realized. The velvety texture of her lips lured him in. In less than a heartbeat he was plundering the soft recesses of her mouth with his tongue, pressing her body into his masculine contours—which had turned hard and aching in record time. Desire hit him so hard so fast that his head twirled like a pinwheel. Kissing Janna was everything he remembered—and then some. This experience had turned highly combustible in two seconds flat and he couldn’t get enough of her!

Morgan wasn’t sure where his next breath would come from and he didn’t care because he was pretty sure he could survive on the pure unadulterated pleasure coiling inside him. He tried to ease his grasp on Janna, but his arms developed a will of their own and refused to let her go. It was as if he’d been suspended in a time warp of amazing pleasure and pulsating adrenaline. Hungry passion shot through his veins like electrical currents. One hand skimmed over the taut peaks of her breasts, savoring the feel of her, hearing her gasp of pleasure. The other hand clamped against her butt, pressing her against his arousal, and he groaned in unfulfilled need.

“Oh, gawd! I’m dying…!”

Kendra’s gravelly voice jostled Morgan to his senses. Reluctantly, he set Janna to her feet, then kept a grip on her arm when her legs wobbled unsteadily. The astounded look on her face, in those enormous, mesmerizing eyes, tempted him to start right where’d he’d left off. But Kendra was floundering on the bed and groaning in misery.

“I better help her,” Janna wheezed.

“I better go home,” Morgan said raggedly. “But you need to know there was no dare involved in that kiss. I kissed you because I wanted to. Hell, I needed to. If that offends you, I’m sorry. G’night.”

Morgan got the hell out of there before Janna came to her senses and railed at him for practically giving her a tonsillectomy. Damn, as kisses went, that one was of the 220-volt variety. He was still sizzling from the shock of it when he climbed into his truck. He’d probably blown the makings of a friendship, but hell’s jingling bells! That kiss between them had gone off the charts and touching her familiarly left him aching.

Morgan breathed deeply to get himself under control and tried to assemble rational thought, but it just wasn’t happening. One devouring kiss and caress and wham! He wanted her—badly. But she was a—

He slammed the heel of his hand against the steering wheel and cursed inventively. He might not be a rocket scientist, but he had enough brainpower to figure out that if he was the reason Janna avoided intimacy, the chances of her ending up in his bed were about a billion to one. No, he amended, make that a gazillion to one. He’d damn well better cool his heels—and the other parts of his male anatomy that needed to cool off. If he didn’t, what little headway he’d made today, hoping to compensate for hurting and humiliating Janna twelve years ago, would be blown to smithereens.

Morgan repeated all the sensible reasons why he should keep his distance during his drive home. Too bad his male body wasn’t paying the slightest attention to the logic sent down from his brain. He was still on a slow burn when he walked through his front door—and aching need didn’t go away after he crawled into bed—alone—either.