“Open your mouth,” he demanded softly.
She shook her head and he wrapped his fist in her hair, pulling her head back gently.
“Open your mouth,” he repeated against her lips.
She again shook her head.
“Poppet –” he started.
But she interrupted by whispering, “Don’t call me –”
She didn’t finish, as she was speaking, he muttered, “There it is.”
And his parted lips took hers, his tongue sliding inside her mouth.
Jack tasted her and remembered just exactly how much he liked that as well.
Like the first time he kissed her, she responded the minute his tongue touched hers.
Her body melted into his, her hands glided up his arms, one arm wrapped around his neck, the fingers of her other hand slid into his hair.
He felt triumph shoot through him at her response and as a reward to himself, and Belle, he slanted his head and deepened the kiss.
She welcomed it, a soft, sexy noise coming from the back of her throat and filling his mouth.
At the sound of it, the feel of it, the taste of it, the memory of how much he liked the noises she made nearly four months before when he was driving deep inside her, he groaned into her mouth in return as his arm left her back.
His hand went under her camisole, slid across the silken skin at her waist and up.
His body gladly absorbed the shiver his hand caused just as one of her hands yanked his shirt free of his trousers and he felt her soft, sweet, shy touch gliding along his own skin.
His fist in her hair tightened as he felt his need for her quicken and he knew in a moment he’d carry her back up the ladder and take her on the blankets where she slept.
And he was looking forward to it.
He was actually aching to do it.
“That didn’t take long.”
Jack’s body froze and he felt Belle’s do the same when they both heard Miles’s voice.
“This is a record for Belle. It’s been a whole week since you two have been under the same roof,” Miles went on as Jack lifted his head and looked into the somewhat dazed but also now frightened eyes of Belle.
She pulled at his hold but his arm grew tighter as he released her hair and contained her retreat by wrapping that arm around her as well.
Miles came to stand at their sides and Jack turned his head to his brother seeing Belle do the same.
“Unless, of course, she’s been sneaking to your room at night, Jack,” Miles noted with a sneer on his mouth, addressing Jack but his eyes were glued on Belle. “But Mum wouldn’t know about that, would she? She just got finished telling me it was all good, all platonic, everything was just swell. Even though she didn’t look like it was swell. She looked like she’d rather you two were going at it like rabbits.” His sneer deepened when he continued, “She’ll be so pleased.”
When Miles stopped speaking, his gaze moved to Jack and Jack clipped, “Are you finished?”
“Want me to leave so you can f**k Belle in the hayloft?” Miles returned, his voice coated with derision.
“Actually, yes,” Jack replied and he felt Belle’s body jolt but he kept firm hold of her as he watched his hit score and Miles flinched.
Then Miles recovered. “Don’t mind me. I just came to ride.” His head jerked to a stall and he went on crudely, “A different kind of riding than you’re about to do, of course.”
Jack barely restrained an urge to shift Belle aside and do bodily harm to his brother.
Instead, he let Belle have some space but kept her in his arms and turned partially toward Miles who was moving toward the tack room.
“I believe I left a message with your assistant asking you to avoid The Point for the next six months,” Jack called to his brother.
“I got the message,” Miles replied carelessly.
Jack felt Belle tremble in his arms, he took away the space he’d just given her and pulled her deeper into his body.
When Miles went on, he sounded like a spoiled child, “However, it is my home and I’ll come whenever I want.”
“It’s my home, Miles,” Jack noted with quiet meaning and he watched Miles’s torso twist so he could look at Jack.
“After Dad died, your name may have been transferred to the deed but it’s still my f**king home,” Miles fired back.
“After Dad died, my name was transferred to the deed, making it my home and I let you stay here when I please,” Jack returned and Miles moved to face him fully as Jack kept talking. “When I don’t, you stay away. And for the next six months, you’ll stay away.”
Miles stared at Jack in incredulity for a moment before he spat, “You must be joking.”
“No,” Jack replied immediately. “I’m quite serious.”
Miles’s eyes shifted to Belle and they narrowed as his face filled with scorn.
“So you’re saying you’re kicking out your own brother so your latest f**k won’t feel uncomfortable?” he asked, his voice snide.
“I wouldn’t put it that way, however, Belle and her family are here, this is their home now and I intend them to feel safe and comfortable. I can imagine by your behaviour four months ago and just now that Belle isn’t feeling exactly safe at the moment. So yes, in essence, what you say is true.” Miles opened his mouth but Jack got there before him and when he spoke his voice was low and vibrating with fury. “And, I swear to God Miles, if you call Belle my ‘fuck’ again or utter one more vulgar statement alluding to her, I’ll rip your goddamned head off.”
Jack felt Belle’s stiff body go solid before it began to relax at his side but he didn’t take his eyes off his brother.
Miles glared at Jack and Jack calmly held his glare.
Though Jack did not feel calm.
He was even more incensed than he’d been when he arrived at the stables.
He was no longer angry at Belle, but at his f**king brother and, more importantly, at what his f**king brother had interrupted.
When Miles didn’t move or speak, Jack did the latter. “You’re still standing in my stables.”
“My horse happens to be stabled here,” Miles returned.
“Call Olive. Tell her where you want Mystery stabled and I’ll have her transported,” Jack replied.
Miles’s eyes grew wide. “So now you’re kicking out my horse too?”
Jack turned fully to his brother but held Belle closely at his side with an arm tight around her waist.
“I’d like to take the time to explain things to you fully, Miles, so you’ll understand precisely how I feel about you right now and my intent that you and anything of yours you need is gone as soon as possible. But it’s more important I have the opportunity to speak with Belle. So I’m asking you nicely to go, call Olive, tell her what you need and where you want it to be. She’ll arrange everything,” Jack said to his brother.