Rescuing A Runaway Bride

  RESCUING A RUNAWAY BRIDE

  by

  Honey Jans

  TORRID BOOKS

  www.torridbooks.com

  Published by

  TORRID BOOKS

  www.torridbooks.com

  An Imprint of Whiskey Creek Press LLC

  Whiskey Creek Press

  PO Box 51052

  Casper, WY 82605-1052

  Copyright Ó 2012 by Honey Jans

  Warning: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 (five) years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000.

  Names, characters and incidents depicted in this book are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental and beyond the intent of the author or the publisher.

  No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

  ISBN 978-1-61160-408-5

  Credits

  Cover Artist: Gemini Judson

  Editor: Sherry Derr-Wille

  Printed in the United States of America

  WHAT THEY ARE SAYING ABOUT

  CINDY REVISITED

  4 Blue Ribbons!

  “Honey Jans takes a much beloved fairy tale and puts a modern spin on it with delightful results in her newest release Cindy Revisited. I admit that I loved the fairy tale Cinderella but I enjoyed this story even more because rather than being sugary sweet, the plot is sexy, wicked, and far more realistic than the Disney version. There may not be a fairy godmother in real life but sometimes extraordinary things happen and you know—there’s nothing wrong with dreaming about finding a special man ready, willing and able to whisk us away from the doldrums of life. This is a fun, imaginative tale with a bit of suspense which I’m sure readers will thoroughly enjoy.”

  Chrissy Dionne

  Romance Junkies

  WHAT THEY ARE SAYING ABOUT

  ONCE IN LOVE WITH LAURA

  Blue Ribbon Rating: 5!

  “Once In Love With Laura is one of those stories that ‘speaks’ to you through the characters’ emotional attachment for each other. With plenty of smoldering sex scenes, comical witty dialogue and an element of suspense I happily sat and read this story straight through. I especially loved Laura’s reaction to Nick’s dominant demeanor. Laura and Nick make a wonderful couple and as you read their story you can’t help but admire them. Honey Jans tells wonderful BDSM tales and seems to be improving her talent at her craft with each new story.

  Chrissy Dionne

  Romance Junkies

  WHAT THEY ARE SAYING ABOUT

  DANGEROUS LIAISONS:

  STEALING SECRETS

  5 Cups!

  “CIA Agent, Melanie Cordova, has been living under the shroud of her infamous mobster uncle, Harry Leone. She finally receives her chance to become a field agent, and her first assignment is to go undercover and steal secrets. In the process of conducting her mission, she is kidnapped by the ghost with silver eyes.

  “Delta Star Agent, Ace Riser, has been dispatched on a mission to eliminate an assassin. What he finds is an innocent woman, and until he can figure out what is going on, he is going to keep her right where he can see her. The only thing he has to figure out is how to keep his hands off the hottest woman he has ever met.

  “Agents Cordova and Riser must work together to figure which of them is the intended target. Along the way they discover a passion neither can resist. Melanie wishes to call him master, and he wants to call her his.

  “This book is hot, hot, hot. The passion between Melanie and Ace is as steamy as it gets. The story is just as alluring for the mystery behind the plot to eliminate one or both of them as it is for the fire between them. The author’s writing style makes the story flow and never provides a dull moment.”

  Delane

  Coffee Time Romance

  Other Books by Author Available at Torrid Books:

  www.torridbooks.com

  The Gift

  April Love

  The Commander’s Club

  Double Fantasy

  A Wolf’s Tale

  Monica’s Manhunt

  Cindy Revisited

  Candy Kisses

  Knock Three Times

  Bound To Serve

  Enemy Mine

  Once In Love With Laura

  Stealing Secrets

  A Taste Of Honey

  Rescuing Amanda

  Goldie and the Three Bears

  Dedication

  I’d like to dedicate this book to all my readers.

  Thank you.

  Chapter 1

  Samantha Logan parked her car in front of her family’s dilapidated summer cabin in the north woods of Wisconsin and let out a demoralized sigh. Chicago’s morning newspapers would expose the entire disaster, complete with the glaring caption ‘Runaway Bride’. What they wouldn’t say was that after she caught the rat bastard with another woman Grayson St. James had freaked out so much he’d damned near killed her. It was an accident she kept telling herself but she wasn’t taking any chances by sticking around to hear his feeble apologies.

  She’d gone to his condo needing to know if they were sexually compatible. The answer hell no, made her lips curve in a rueful smile as she remembered him grunting and sweating over some naked blonde bimbo who was going down on him. The fact he wanted sex wasn’t the shocker. The fact he didn’t want it with semi-virgin her was a huge wake-up call. This time around she’d choose a lover more carefully. What she needed was a teacher, some ideal hunk who’d teach her all about sex. And being academically minded she’d already mentally compiled a list of qualities her erotic arts instructor would need. The first being completely honest, she wouldn’t settle for anything less. The second being able to make her toes curl as she came. But first she was going to hole up here until the furor died down. In retrospect she realized Grayson’s betrayal had probably been just the boot in the butt she needed to shake her out of her safe little workaholic life.

  With that thought in mind she climbed out of her almost paid off clunker and walked up the rutted path to her hideout. If she were in luck the key would be in the old hiding place on the ledge above the door. Reaching up on tiptoe she smiled when her fingertips encountered cold metal. Great, things were finally going her way.

  Steadying her shaking hands, she stuck the key in the lock, and tried her damndest to turn it. The darned thing wouldn’t turn. It was probably rusted shut. Just her rotten luck. Good and mad now she rattled the rusty lock trying to force it.

  Then suddenly the door jerked open taking her with it as she fell into the dark cabin. Crashing to the floor she let out a gasp when some linebacker-sized guy jumped on her taking her down in a rolling tackle that left her flat on her back under him. What the fuck, have I stumbled across a squatter? Because there is no way Grayson or my father and his private dicks could know I’m here.

  Trying to suck in air she futilely kicked out at him giving him her best mixed martial arts moves learned during a free crash course due to her new contract with Max’s Dojo. And groaned in frustration when she couldn’t even land a decent punch as he blocked her every move with the stealth of a ninja. Then he captured her wrists in one brawny hand as he began running the other down her struggling body. Just then she finally drew in enough air into her starved lungs to scream realizing too late he smelled hauntingly familiar. It couldn’t be¼her luck co
uldn’t be all bad.

  He froze on top of her, if possible, pinning her harder to the floor and she heard him bite back a curse…a slightly southern totally snarky curse and wanted to die. It was. Oh dear heavens her nemesis and teenage wet dream Jake Ramsey.

  “Stop your goddamned caterwauling, brat,” he bit out.

  Her breath caught in her throat as his oh-so rugged body pressed intimately against hers, the steely brand of his cock damned near burning her sex through her panties. Damn she had to say she wanted to hire a sex instructor. Jake Ramsey was sex on a stick and his big work-roughened hand still cupping her quivering breast made her burn. On cue her nipple budded wantonly against his hot rough palm as a heat wave swept through her.

  On top of her he sucked in a breath, his hand tightening on her breast and she thought she was going to die of bliss. Then he went absolutely still muttering what sounded like a curse and she wanted to cry. Great she’d shocked him…again. This was the part where he let her go and gave her the lecture for improper young ladies which had been his job way back when he first came to work for her father as part of Logan Industries Security Force. At least the dark would save her the humiliation of him seeing her blush.

  Then the lights snapped on and she groaned. What did he do, install a timer? It’d be easy for the thug who now headed her dad’s security team. She gazed up at him needing to know if he’d changed in the seven years she’d been away, since he’d run her off really. She’d hightailed it for college early after he’d rejected her advances and hadn’t looked back until now.

  His gray eyes were still hard and watchful, but they softened a bit as he looked down at her turning into a molten silver glow that took her breath away. There was something decidedly dangerous about the former soldier turned Logan Industries Security Chief. Unfortunately looking at her would no doubt cool his ardor. He hadn’t wanted her when she was eighteen why should now be any different? She didn’t fool herself that she was a great beauty. Her curves were too generous and her sassy independence turned off most men. But instead of his hard-on shrinking it grew against her making her gasp with surprise.

  Instinctively she pressed against him pushing her luck. Then he rubbed his thumb over her hard nipple and she trembled, a moan pouring out of her throat. Since when did he want her? Or was this some new interrogation technique? A good cop, sexy bad cop thing designed to drive her nuts?

  “What’s the matter, sugar? St. James not so good in the sack?” he gritted out through clenched teeth.

  What was the question? She looked up at him with lust-fogged eyes. Oh yeah, is Grayson a flop in the sack? She never found out but she wasn’t about to admit it to the hunk. “None of your dang business, goon.”

  “Answer me or I’ll take your sexy ass over my knee,” he growled.

  Her toes curled at the huskily voiced threat even as her bottom heated up. Did he really think she had a sexy ass? She’d been reading erotic romances telling herself she was getting ready for her marriage. Now she knew different, she’d been getting ready for her sex instructor. Jake Ramsey disreputable as he was might make the perfect erotica one-o-one teacher. “Really?” she asked, knowing she sounded more hopeful than she should.

  “What the hell are you doing here, Samantha?” he demanded.

  She closed her eyes as she so not wanted to go there. “Vacationing,” she said lightly, hoping he’d drop it.

  “Right,” he said sarcastically. “Honeymooning without your fiancée, now why don’t I believe that?”

  Because you’re a control freak. The sour way he drawled out fiancée startled her into silence. He hated Grayson too, but why? Grayson was an up-and-coming executive in her father’s company Logan Industries. Probably even higher up the food chain than Ramsey was as security chief. Was that the reason for Jake’s animosity? Not that she blamed Jake. She now knew that her ex was a total jerk but he’d seemed so charming when he’d swept her off her feet six short weeks ago. “I don’t have a fiancée anymore,” she said, hoping Ramsey would drop it.

  “Then I shouldn’t expect a rescue party out looking the runaway bride.”

  She didn’t like the watchful way he studied her as if he suspected her of lying to him. He didn’t know how wrong he was about her. She might have been rebellious in her teens but she’d grown into a quiet boring little nun who never got so much as a parking ticket. “Not hardly. I’m here on my own. You don’t have to worry about anyone barging in on us,” she said, giving him what she hoped was a reassuring smile.

  His distrustful frown deepened making her heart sink but the crazy heat going through her wouldn’t let her push him away. If she only had him for a minute she wanted to play with fire. Wriggling a little against him she gasped when his hard cock bumped against her stiff clit sending out tingles all over her body. Woo hoo, he can make me come without really trying.

  “Don’t think you’re going to get around me with sex, brat,” he gritted out.

  “Well I haven’t been able to in the past,” she said with a twinge of regret as he effectively doused her sexual tingles with his words.

  “What happened between you and St. James?”

  “What makes you think something happened?” she said, not wanting to share her humiliation with him. He just narrowed his eyes and waited for her to tell him. She knew he’d wait all night if necessary. Nobody did granite better. She let out a sigh. “Let’s just say I caught him in a compromising situation,” she managed to get out, tears mingling with anger inside her.

  His eyes widened. “He was screwing around on you on the night before your wedding?”

  She heard the surprise in his voice and felt a little better. “Yeah it surprised the heck out of me too,” she answered sarcastically. “So I’ve come here to enact my revenge.”

  “What the hell?”

  “The best kind of revenge, to get over him without a tear, and to hire my own sex instructor.” The fact he was gaping at her like she’d suggested he kill somebody made her strike him off her list.

  “Damn, you okay, brat?” Jake asked softly.

  She really did blink back tears then, his tender tone bringing them to the surface. She blinked them away refusing to let them fall. Her ex wasn’t worth crying over and the last thing she wanted was Jake Ramsey’s sympathy. Overwhelmed, she tried to buck him off but he wouldn’t budge.

  Hell, his big hand still held her wrists trapped while his lower half still pressed her to the floor and he wasn’t even breathing hard. She on the other hand was damned near hyperventilating as the position had her arched out toward him like a virgin sacrifice. “Get the hell off of me, goon.” She saw the flare of anger at the name she used to call him when she was particularly pissed at him and didn’t care.

  “Take it easy, sugar, and breathe,” he said, still holding her trapped.

  She took in a slow deep breath at his command and felt a little calmer even though the restraint he had her under made her feel vulnerable. “I don’t want it easy,” she bit out frustrated.

  “I know, and neither do I,” he said, staring down at her.

  Samantha sucked in a shocked breath at his admission. Does he really mean it? Then he bent to kiss her and she kissed him back. This was what she’d ached for. He nipped her lower lip demanding access and she opened for him trembling with desire when his tongue swept into her mouth getting all bossy with hers. Oh god she was so in trouble deep. Just one kiss and he went to the top of her sex instructor list. She needed to touch him but the control freak still held her wrists trapped in his big paw. She wouldn’t put it past him to pull out handcuffs and restrain her properly. Just the thought made her shiver with delight.

  And then he ground against her, his cock rubbing against her clit sending sparks of pleasure through her, only the thin barrier of their clothes separating them. Her skirt was hitched up around her ass and her lace panties weren’t much protection. But she didn’t want protection.

  She moaned spreading her legs rubbing against him urging
him to put out the fire he’d started. Instead he took his time, leisurely kissing her until she was flailing against his hard body as he rode her, grinding against him as she tightened her curling toes, her sex quivering, gushing honey, aching for him. Every stroke of the rock-hard ridge of his cock brought her nearer to nirvana until she was whimpering into his mouth thinking she was about to explode.

  In a heartbeat stars burst and she screamed into his mouth as she came, trembling as waves tore through her. And still he rubbed her, softer and gentler now as she rode the aftershocks of her mind-blowing orgasm. I’ve always thought the novels I’d read were exaggerating about this part.

  “Well did I get the job?”

  Jake’s amused statement got through to her and she groaned. She hadn’t actually said that aloud had she?

  Bang¼Bang¼Bang¼ “Open up in there. This is the police.”

  The commotion jerked her out of the remainder of her orgasmic cloud.

  Jake froze, going rigid. “Fuck, I’m a damned fool.”

  She froze below him stinging with hurt as she heard him curse himself for touching her and wondered who the policewoman was and why Jake was so pissed. She lay there trying to come to terms with the fact that she’d been rejected again as Jake he rolled off her. Then he reached down to pull her to her feet in a move so quick it made her dizzy. She might have wobbled just a little but she thought he was going a bit too far when he gave her a look of concern and shoved her down onto a shabby armchair.

  “Put your head between your knees if you think you’re going to faint,” he gritted out before heading for the door.

  Well, doesn’t he have a high opinion of his sexual prowess? She watched him walk away. But her body was still quivering with little after spasms and her toes were only now starting to uncurl so she kept seated admiring his sexy behind as he walked away.