Candidate For Love Read online

  His eyes met hers. “Until I went to live with Duke and Livia, anyway. They were the only ones who treated me like I was their own kid. That was the first place I got a sense of belonging, of being cared for.”

  JT stood up and advanced toward her, placing his hands on her hips. “I know all about kids and their feelings. So it’s your call. If you want me to split now, I will. If you want me to taper off my visits steadily until I’m gone, I can do that. Or I can stay in his life. And yours.”

  Christine swallowed hard. She hadn’t expected the last option of JT actually wanting to stay in their lives. Had she misjudged him? Was JT, clad in leather, with his long hair and rebelliousness, more of a father figure than Sammy’s own dad?

  “You don’t have to decide right now. But those are your options, and I’ll do whatever you ask. Although if you want me to leave, I’ll miss the kid. And I’ll miss you.” He kissed her gently on the lips.

  “You guys!” Sammy shouted as he bounded into the kitchen. “You’re missing it. The scary robot movie is on. Come on!” He grabbed both of their hands and tugged them into the family room.

  Christine and JT sat on the couch with Sammy squeezed between them. JT stretched out his long legs, put his arm on the back of the couch, and nonchalantly fingered Christine’s hair.

  Sighing, she realized how much she missed the simple things like watching a movie together. Never in a million years would she have thought JT would enjoy something so normal. Totally relaxed, she closed her eyes and leaned back into the circle of his arm and enjoyed the moment.

  In the middle of the movie, the phone rang. Christine answered it. Her face must have showed her concern because JT got up and met her in the kitchen, questioning her about the call.

  “It’s probably just a crank caller getting his kicks.” She tried to put on a normal face, pushing the fear away.

  “From the look on your face, I’m not sure I believe you.” JT leaned into the hallway doorjamb, blocking her way into the family room and Sammy.

  Sammy. She had to take the call seriously.

  “What did they say, Christine?”

  Wringing her hands nervously, she whispered so her son couldn’t overhear. “That I should keep an eye on Sammy.”

  “They said his name?”

  “Yes.” The realization that the caller knew her son’s name dawned on her, but she rationalized that lots of people could know his name. She and Tad led a public life and had been in the papers numerous times, plus Charleston wasn’t that big of a town.

  “Maybe you should call the police.”

  “I don’t know. Every now and then I’ve gotten weird calls. Maybe it’s just someone trying to scare us.”

  “But who would want to scare you, Chris?”

  Looking into JT’s eyes, she saw concern there that mirrored her own. “I don’t know, JT.”

  He took her into his arms and she leaned into him, pretending there was someone strong and secure in her life who could take care of her. Closing her eyes, she let herself be weak for a few moments.

  “I’ll take care of this,” he whispered in her hair.

  “But what can you do?” She leaned back and looked up into his face.

  “Contact the phone company and get caller ID so you can track the phone number. I know right now you don’t want the police involved, but if the person calling has an unlisted number, the phone company won’t release the information without a police report. In the meantime, I can put a tap on your phone.”

  Her eyes widened. “You know how to do that?”

  “I know how to do a lot of things.”

  For a moment she thought perhaps his words held a double meaning. Shaking it off, she said, “But that’s illegal. I can’t do that.”

  “Don’t you want to put your fears to rest? If I have a tap on here and the person calls again, we might find out who it is.”

  This made complete sense to her. She thought of Sammy, and even though it was illegal and against all her ideals, she agreed for her son’s safety. “Okay.”

  “I’ll stop by tomorrow and set it up while Sammy’s in school. Will you be here then?”

  “Yeah.” She nodded, regaining her composure. “I should be here all day.”

  “And just in case, I’ll leave you with my pager number. That way, anytime you need me, you can get in touch with me.”

  She nodded. “I didn’t think anyone used these anymore.”

  “Sometimes cell coverage can be spotty, so the pager is a backup.”

  Putting his arm around her shoulder, JT led her back into the family room. They continued the evening watching the movie as if nothing had happened. There was no way she was going to let on to Sammy that something was concerning her. He had already gone through so much.

  • • •

  The next day, the now familiar roar of JT’s bike halted Christine from finishing a speech she was working on for the press conference she was holding later in the week.

  She opened the front door and watched as he strode up her front walk, his strides long and strong. He exuded strength and confidence with his biker boots and leather jacket, and the strong line of his jaw. His faded jeans couldn’t disguise the bulging thighs underneath. Sunglasses shielded his eyes, but Christine anticipated their strong pull when he would take the glasses off.

  Smiling, she held the screen door open for him. He turned sideways as he entered, and even that couldn’t prevent his broad chest from lightly brushing against her, causing a shiver to course through her body.

  “Morning.” JT slipped his glasses off and put them in his jacket pocket. He dipped his head and brushed a soft kiss against her lips.

  Breathless, she replied, “Morning.”

  “I’ve got everything I need with me.” He pulled a small bag from inside his coat. “Do you have a phone in your bedroom?”

  “Yes, I do.”

  “I suggest we install it there. You know, so people can’t easily see it.”

  “Can I take your coat for you?”

  “Sure.” Shrugging out of it, he handed it to her.

  Christine took the heavy leather jacket and hung it in the hall closet. It dwarfed her coats and Sammy’s. She took a moment to inhale the scent of him that lingered with the leather, but sensed his presence behind her.

  When she faced him, her eyes were drawn to his muscular arms exposed beneath the sleeves of the snug-fitting black T-shirt that sculpted his chest and abs. Looking into his eyes, she couldn’t mistake the desire there. Christine had to consciously monitor her breathing so she didn’t inhale deeply, signaling the effect the man had on her.

  He held the bag of equipment, waiting for her to lead him to her bedroom, and she froze, wondering what kind of state her bedroom was in. Had she put her nightgown in the hamper or was it still flung on her bed? Was the bed made? Would he notice how her room was decorated, or would such things not matter to him?

  With every step, she doubted her decision to do this. Maybe she should have suggested he put it in her office next to the family room. But that wouldn’t work because sometimes her campaign manager came over, and they worked on strategies there while Sammy watched TV.

  At the top of the landing, she made the two right turns to her bedroom and led the fox into the chicken house. The phone was next to the bed on a round table covered in lace. Next to the phone were pictures framed in gold filigree—one of Sammy in his football outfit, and an older one of Christine holding Sammy wrapped in a blue blanket right after he was born.

  She was relieved to see her bed was made, but her white cotton nightgown was tossed across the foot of it where she’d left it after changing.

  JT sat on the cream lace bedspread and looked out of place in the feminine setting. After Tad had left, she had redone the room to suit her, including painting the walls pale peach and getting the lacy bedspread and matching curtains. Definitely not JT’s style.

  He sat on the bed by her pillows and removed the telephone from the table. F
irst he unscrewed the phone cover with a tiny tool he pulled out of a small black bag, and then worked on moving the inner wires. In a matter of minutes, the deed was done. After putting everything back together, JT put the tools back in the bag. He lifted the lacy tablecloth and looked underneath.

  “I can put the recorder here so no one will see it.” He slid off the bed and knelt down as Christine held the tablecloth above him.

  Her eyes couldn’t help but settle on his rear, giving her ideas that should shame her.

  JT crawled out from under the table and said, “It’s all done. Now all calls will be recorded. The only thing you have to do is try and keep him on the line for at least a minute, and it will pull up the number where the call’s coming from. If it’s just a crank, they’ll probably talk longer than that. But if it’s a pro, you probably won’t get them to hang on the line that long.”

  “A pro?” Christine furrowed her brow. “What kind of pro would be calling me? And what kind of pro do you mean?”

  JT hesitated. “There are all kinds of pros out there. Kidnappers, pedophiles . . .” His voice trailed off, and he averted his eyes.

  Christine sat down on the bed. This could be a lot more serious than she thought. Now she felt more justified having JT install this illegal device. If it would protect Sammy, that was all that mattered to her.

  “I didn’t—I hadn’t thought of such things. I guess I just figured it was some kind of crank.”

  JT sat down beside her, took her hand in his, and held it there. “I’m sure it’s nothing. And if they call back again, we’ll know if it’s just some kook getting their kicks or someone we need to worry about.” His other hand grazed her cheek. “Right now, there’s nothing to worry about, Christine. But if we find there’s something to worry about, I’ll take care of it.”

  Looking up into his face, Christine said softly, “I appreciate that, JT, I really do.” She placed her hand on his hard thigh and squeezed it.

  Right now she felt very vulnerable and weak, and JT was so strong and comforting, but oh-so-dangerously close. And they were sitting on her bed in the middle of the day when Sammy was at school. Even though his reason for being in the room was a subject that was very unnerving for her, she still found herself drawn to this man in a way she hadn’t been before.

  Their silence hung heavy between them. The only sounds were the ticking of the grandfather clock in the hallway downstairs and the chirping of birds outside her window. Christine’s breathing became shallow in anticipation.

  Slowly, JT lowered his face. He lifted his hand and brushed her lower lip with his thumb. Her mouth slightly parted and JT’s lips found her, first softly and then more insistent. Christine moaned silently and kissed him back. His tongue slid between her parted lips and met hers, exploring. Gently he sucked on her tongue, and she pressed herself against his broad chest.

  At her response, his arm encircled her back and lowered her onto the bed. His thigh moved over her legs, pinning her underneath him. His groin to her pelvis and the pressure of him on top of her caused an age-old ache between her legs. A moan escaped her, and JT pressed his chest against her, flattening her breasts that were swelling in anticipation of his touch.

  His hands encircled her wrists, and he pulled her arms above her head. As he kissed her, he maneuvered his knee between her legs, pressing it snugly against the apex of her womanhood. She wiggled closer against his knee, trying to ease the ache.

  Slowly he slid one hand through her hair, against both sides of her face, and over the top of her breasts, stopping at her khaki pants. He deftly unzipped them and slid his hand inside, gently massaging her aching desire. When she tried to wrap her legs around his back, JT tugged at her pants to remove them. He shifted down her body as she held her breath. Finally, his mouth captured her nub through her panties, and then sucked and manipulated with his tongue until Christine writhed beneath him.

  “Stop teasing me,” she begged.

  He chuckled. “I’m not teasing you, babe, I’m just finishing what we barely started at my house this weekend.”

  Closing her eyes, she eagerly awaited what came next. JT slid her toward him until her butt was at the edge of the bed. Kneeling on the floor, he pulled off her underwear and tossed it to the floor.

  Chapter 10

  Christine held her breath as JT feathered kisses between her thighs, his breath warm as he kissed, nibbled, and licked her into a haze. When she reached the brink of pleasure, she arched upward as the sensations overtook her in waves. As she luxuriated in the ache of pleasure he had awakened between her legs, he rose and removed the rest of her clothing as well as his own before lifting her and rearranging her body lengthwise on the bed. Then he slid over her, covering her.

  She never imagined anything could feel so glorious as his naked body next to hers, their hearts beating a synchronized rhythm.

  Gently, he kissed her lips, and asked, “Are you sure this is what you want?” His voice was deep with desire.

  “Yes,” breathily escaped her lips, her own voice foreign to her ears.

  JT reached over and fumbled with his clothing on the floor. He tossed some packets onto the end table, opened one, and rolled a condom on. Lowering himself on top of her again, he gently entered her, filling her with a sense of wholeness.

  She wrapped her arms around his neck, clinging to him as kaleidoscopes of sensation made every slow, rhythmic movement more beautiful than the last. Arching to meet each of his movements, she needed nothing more than this moment.

  As the slow release began pulsing through them in waves, their joining became a unified crescendo. Remaining wrapped in each other’s arms afterward, their breathing became less labored, more normal.

  Christine tried to think of something to say to put into words the experience they had just shared, but nothing came to mind. After all the speeches she’d made on behalf of charities and her own campaign, she found herself at a loss for words.

  JT propped himself up on his elbow. With his hair hanging down and tickling her skin, he broke the silence to say, “Baby, I’m amazed.” A big, bodacious grin covered his face.

  Christine could only smile right back, just as wide. To her surprise, he tilted his head back and began to sing the song “Baby, I’m Amazed” to the rafters.

  Laughter shook her. She never expected a man as serious and experienced as JT to do something so lighthearted and silly after making love.

  “You aren’t laughing at my singing, are you?”

  “No,” Christine said as she tried to compose herself. “But I don’t recommend quitting your day job.”

  He patted her fanny. “I knew you couldn’t be laughing at my lovemaking.”

  Her smile faded. “I’d never laugh at that.” She leaned forward, kissing him full on the lips as she ran her fingers along the line of his jaw.

  She deepened the kiss, fully exploring every aspect of his mouth. Keeping the kiss alive, she slowly nudged JT back on top of her.

  “I hope you have more condoms with you?” Hope and desire intertwined in her voice.

  “I sure do.”

  She took the liberty of searching the end table for another package. Straddling him, she rolled the protection on his hardness and gently lowered herself onto him.

  Now she was in charge.

  • • •

  While showering together, Christine fought to keep reality from intruding. Remembering the reason for JT’s visit was to install a tap on her phone, she wondered if he had made love to her more to take her mind off the phone calls than to be with her. But just as the thought entered her mind, she quickly dismissed it. What they had shared wasn’t merely a distraction. But if she had ever needed or wanted one, JT certainly was it.

  Rubbing the soapy washcloth along his long, strong torso, Christine relinquished her duties as mother and mayoral candidate, allowing herself to simply be a woman. A woman in a shower with the hottest man she had ever known in her entire life.

  Need throbbed again
between her thighs. The ache, she knew, wouldn’t leave until she had him inside her one more time. Her hand wandered down his chest to his tight abs and the nest of curls at the base of her object of desire. Using her hand in the soapy cloth to encase him, she gently massaged him again to readiness.

  • • •

  “Brad, I’m so sorry to hear your daughter is sick.” Christine listened to her manager on the other end of the line. “I wouldn’t hear of you making your wife stay home from her MBA class. I’ll find someone else to go with me to the fundraiser tonight.”

  She had no clue who she would find at such late notice on a Tuesday afternoon, but she didn’t want to have an empty seat next to her tonight at the banquet table where she would be sitting with the political party executives on the dais. Especially when the fundraiser was for her campaign. It wouldn’t look right.

  Glancing at her watch, she was surprised it was already one o’clock. Sammy would be a logical choice for an escort, but he was too young, and he would be out way past his bedtime. The only other person who came to mind was JT. The event was a dressy affair being held in the museum with a catered dinner. Would he even consider going to such an event?

  There was only one way to find out. Locking the house, she headed to JT’s. She could have called him, but felt this was a request better made in person. Pulling into the overgrown drive, she eased the SUV toward the cabin.

  She was in luck. His Harley was parked in front of the porch and JT was kneeling beside it, tinkering with something. He was shirtless, and his tanned skin gleamed with a light sheen of sweat. As he worked on the motorcycle, his muscles rippled beneath his skin.

  After stepping out of her vehicle, she stopped a few feet behind him. A tattoo on the back of his shoulder caught her eye, a flying eagle with the words Free Bird emblazoned over it.