Adam's Thorn Read online

  “That’ll fetch a bit of money. The furniture is in need of some repair.” He tapped his small chin. “Not all of it, of course. Some are in good condition. Let me wander a little more.”

  Barbie trailed him from room to room, watching as he smiled at some things, ran his hands over others, tsk-tsked and shook his head at several old trunks.

  He checked inside wardrobes, knocked on the backs to test their hardiness, he said, and even went on his hands and knees to check under the beds.

  “My, my.” He rubbed his hands upon seeing the big old vase in the corner of the hall near the window. “Now this is a pretty piece.” Squatting down, he carefully rolled it on its side, searching for the inscription underneath. “Oh yes, now this will fetch a tidy sum.”

  “It will?” Barbie looked doubtfully at the vase. Personally, she thought it rather ugly.

  “Yes.” Settling it carefully back, he went into the library, exclaiming over the old books, handling them almost lovingly. The writing desk got an ‘ooh’ from him, the old nib pin and dried out inkwell an ‘ahh’.

  It took him a good several hours to go thorough the rooms, a notepad in one hand, a pen in the other, very much as Barbie had done a few weeks earlier. He marked down items, noted which room they were in, until finally he seemed satisfied and followed her down to the kitchen where he accepted a glass of iced coffee.

  “And the jewellery?’ he asked expectantly.

  “Oh, that’s already taken care of,” she replied.

  “Really?”

  “Yes. I and my Mum and sister took what we wanted, and the rest I sold to a jeweller.”

  “Oh dear.” His expression fell. “I’m afraid the boss will be disappointed. He was looking forward to seeing the old jewellery. Valuable items, you know.”

  “Actually, Patrick knows I sold it already, so no probs.” Barbie sipped at the iced coffee she held. “So what do you think?”

  “I’ll need to check some of the items against the catalogues and similar furniture and stuff. I’ll get back to you in a couple of days. Is that all right?”

  “Fine.”

  “You’re not in a hurry, are you?”

  “Not at all.”

  “Good, good. Okay, Ms Declan, I must be going.” Spencer placed the empty glass on the kitchen counter. “Now, if you could steer me to a motel, I’ll get a room and start my research.”

  “There’s only one motel, Peeron Motel. You’ll have passed it on your way in.”

  “Lovely. That’ll do.”

  Barbie saw him off before closing the door.

  Time to face the den of sin.

  Walking into the massage room, Barbie looked around. It looked very much as it always did, the only things out of place the towel lying on the floor and the ABBA CD case.

  Retrieving the CD, Barbie put it back in the case and slid the ocean CD back into the player, ready for the next customer. Blowing out the candles which still burned, she took the used towels into the laundry to soak in a bucket, before returning to wipe down the massage table.

  It wasn’t as good as the one she used at the massage parlour, for her private table didn’t have the hole in it for the client’s face to settle into, but it was comfortable and just the right height for her to work.

  God, had she worked Adam or what? Just remembering all that rippling muscle, the dips and swells, the feel of his hot skin beneath her hands was enough to make her breath catch. His handsome face, the blatant carnal lust stamped onto every handsome feature, the burning of his dark eyes as he’d looked at her.

  The sight of him arching under her hands. Long body on her table, muscles bunching, strong leg bending, hips thrusting powerfully, the pure eroticism of seeing him fall apart under her touch.

  God, his manhood, it ought to be licensed as a dangerous weapon. Long, thick, hard, just the thought of it thrusting deep into her had her knees going weak.

  Leaning her elbows on the table, she smiled dreamily. Oh yeah, he’d been thick and hard, and when she’d swallowed him, he’d nearly jumped right off the table. His roar still echoed in her mind as he’d ejaculated, his seed shooting deep and hot.

  She licked her lips. God, it had been amazing.

  More amazing, because she’d actually had him at her mercy, and she knew that wasn’t something that happened regularly to Adam. He was alpha male through and through, his very presence dominating the room. He could be standing there, tall, quiet, everything happening around him, but everyone knew he was there. Everyone knew when he simply walked into the room, all quiet calmness, confident, in control.

  He hadn’t been in control when she’d brought him to climax.

  He might have demanded she touch him, but the power had changed hands rapidly after that.

  Smiling, she bit the tip of one finger. Mmmm, she’d stroked him into a frenzy. That ought to give him something to think about, had given him something to think about.

  I’ll be back. Remembering his possessive kiss, the dark promise, she shivered in delighted anticipation. You be ready. The command. Her smile faded.

  Threat, promise, it was all rolled into one.

  Swallowing, she shivered. Facing Adam again….could she?

  Slowly, embarrassment crept upon her, steeling through her happy musings. Lifting her head, she stared across the table at her horrified reflection.

  It hit her suddenly, starkly. Oh God, I’ve given Adam Moor a blow job!

  And he was coming back.

  The knock at the door had her jumping out of her skin. Hand on her chest, she gulped. Had he returned already? Oh God, what as she going to say to him? What-

  “Barbie? Ms Declan?” Shane’s voice came through the door.

  Relieved and disappointed all at once, Barbie hurried out to unlock the security screen. “Shane, what can I do for you?”

  “I left a box of tools up in the library. I need them for a project I’m doing at home.” He glanced behind her. “Can I go up and get it?”

  “Of course.” Going back into the massage room, she did a last tidy, checking the towel, oil and candle supply before closing the door to prevent Barney and Fred fossicking inside it and knocking over oils, as they’d done several times in the past.

  Thinking that Shane was taking his time, she heard him coming down the stairs.

  “Thanks.” His bland expression hadn’t changed, except for a slight frown. “So the antique dealer arrived?’

  “Why, yes.” She was surprised he knew.

  “Mmm.” He gave her a small nod. “See you Monday.”

  “Bye, Shane.” Locking the security door behind him, Barbie watched him get into his ute and drive away.

  Shane didn’t seem to approve of her plans for the house or furniture. Sometimes he made her a little uneasy with his silent censure.

  The blare of sirens cut through the air and a patrol car sped past the driveway, disappearing in the opposite direction to town. It was followed within minutes by the ambulance. More sirens sounded in the distance, then the fire brigade roared past, followed by another patrol car, lights flashing, siren cutting the peaceful air.

  She hoped whatever had happened, it would be all right.

  Unable to help herself, she walked down the driveway to the road, peering in the direction the emergency vehicles had gone. There was nothing to see, the sirens fading. Obviously whatever had happened was a fair way from her property.

  Checking her watch, she saw it was now one o’clock. Time sure flew when one was working.

  Or giving a blow job.

  With a mortified giggle, Barbie returned to the house, telling herself that once Adam was away from her and had time to think, he wouldn’t be back for anything else except to perhaps arrest her for sexually assaulting an off-duty police officer.

  Now that had her stomach quailing. Or maybe it was the thought of his handcuffs.

  “You are sick, Barbie” she muttered.

  Grabbing a bucket and cleaning supplies, she headed for the bathroom to do
some cleaning.

  She was halfway through scrubbing the shower, her thoughts tumbling all over themselves, when a particular one had her hand stopping and her gut clenching for an entirely different reason.

  Oh God, she’d broken a golden rule. A masseuse never let a proper massage session turn into anything else. Adam had come to her as a client, and she’d aroused him. Unintentionally, true, but she should have left the room so he could regain control, not given him a choice and continued.

  The sorry fact was that she’d loved the feel of him under her hands, the sensation of his hot skin and her oiled hands smoothing over all that hard muscle.

  Caught up in her own pleasure, she’d pushed him beyond his limit.

  Oh God, she’d pushed him. Led him on. A hot flush burned through her cheeks. Now he undoubtedly thought she was a slut, maybe loose with a lot of her male clients. Maybe he thought her giving blow jobs to a male client was par for the course for her.

  Swallowing past a sudden lump in her throat, she had to fight the sudden urge to ring him, to try to explain, to…to what? It wasn’t like there was anything between them, a reason she had to explain. Apologise, yes, but not explain.

  Only she couldn’t apologise now. Not yet.

  Tears actually blurred her vision. She was crying? Toughen up, princess, worse things have happened. Grabbing the scrubbing brush, she attacked the tiles with a lot less enthusiasm than with which she’d started.

  Adam wouldn’t be back, and if he did she better be prepared for a whole lot of insults, because once he realised what she’d allowed to happen, he was going to hate her.

  She tried to ignore the tear that plopped onto her shirt, but it was kind of hard to do when it was followed quickly by several more before she finally got a grip on herself and continued cleaning in miserable silence.

  When she showered later, she had a little cry before sternly taking herself to task.

  What was done was done. Taking her own advice, she got a grip on herself and overcompensated by using half a bottle of rose-scented liquid soap.

  ~*~

  Five o’clock. Sitting on the veranda step, phone to ear, Barbie nodded. “Yes, Laura, I burned the sage. No, everything is fine.” She crossed her fingers. “No ghosts.” Dolls falling off rotten shelves, wardrobe doors falling open, true, but apparently it could happen.

  “Excellent.” Laura said something to someone behind her. “That was Darcy.”

  “New bloke in the office?”

  “Hot as hell. Young, but I like them like that.”

  “How old?”

  “Twenty.”

  “Oh, that’s only about, what, twenty years your junior?”

  “Not much difference at all.” Laura practically purred. “I’m a cougar, sweetie. Bona fide cougar.”

  “Bona fide old married woman.”

  “I can look.”

  “Perv.”

  “Besides, older women are made for younger men, it’s a proven scientific fact.”

  “Really?” Barbie said dryly.

  “Women come into their prime at an older age, men at a younger age, which proves that older women should be with younger men.”

  “Okay, I’m not going to argue that. Your husband might, though.” Barbie watched a car turn into her driveway. “Oh, someone’s here and - oh God.”

  “God's in your driveway?” Laura asked.

  Watching Adam’s car pull up not ten feet from where she sat on the veranda, Barbie swallowed. Here it comes. “Uh - I have to go.”

  “Wait! Is everything all right? Is it trouble?”

  Oh, Laura had no idea. Adam was unhooking his seat belt, sliding it back while his gaze remained fixed on her. Not one expression was on his face.

  Was that a good thing or a bad thing?

  “Barbie?” Laura persisted.

  Opening the door, he got out, straightening to his full, impressive height, making her swallow. Private car, but in uniform. He must have gone on duty for some reason, probably the episode earlier. His gaze stayed on her as he shut the door, beeped it closed with his key fob, turned and strode over to her.

  “Man in uniform,” Barbie managed to croak. “Gotta go.”

  He didn’t falter, coming straight up to where she sat with her mobile dangling from her hand. Coming to a stop before her, he reached down to grab her each side of her ribcage under the arms and hauled her upright.

  She scrabbled for footing on the veranda, finding herself level with his face when he pulled her against him.

  Oh God, his eyes were dark, so dark. His mouth so stern, his expression so authoritative. He had the very aura of a man who was taking no prisoners.

  Trouble? She was in deep shit up to her neck and sinking fast.

  “Adam, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean-”

  He swallowed her words. Simply took her mouth and kissed her hard and fast, his tongue sweeping in to lick deep and leave his taste.

  Dazed, she could only blink at him in shock, her eyes widening when she saw the flare in his eyes, unable to recognise if it was fury or desire, everything happening too fast.

  One minute she was gaping at him, the next he’d bent, his brawny shoulder was at her stomach and next thing - holy heck, she was over his shoulder, his arm clamped around the backs of her thighs.

  Shocked to the core, she couldn’t believe it. Her? Full figured Barbie Declan was actually over a man’s shoulder? And his knees weren’t buckling? His steps weren’t faltering? He wasn’t rolling on the ground with a ruptured disc in his spine?

  The ground whirled crazily, the steps appeared in her vision and then the floor for the hallway as the security screen slammed shut behind them. The lock clicking had her head jerking up.

  “Adam! Adam, put me down! What are you doing?” The hallway runner sped past her eyes and she scrambled to get a hold on his back, hands slipping across his shirt before she finally grabbed on to the thick, black utility belt for purchase. “Adam! For goodness sake, what are you doing?”

  Another turn and she recognised the old carpet in her bedroom. He bent, she went flying through the air and then she was laying on her back on the bed, gasping for air as she stared up into Adam’s face while he leaned down over her, his hands each side of her head, the muscles in his arms bunching.

  He wasn’t even winded. How hot was that?

  “You better be ready,” he said, his voice deep, dark.

  “Ready?” she croaked. “For w- what?”

  Straightening, he stepped back, just one step, unbuckling the utility belt, every movement slow and deliberate.

  Coming up onto one elbow, she couldn’t believe her eyes. “What-”

  “Barbie.” One word, a threat, a promise, a spine-tingling order.

  “Adam-”

  Lifting his arm, he pointed at her in silent command.

  Oh God, was it sick that his unspoken authority was making her moist? That the way he unbuttoned his shirt and stripped it back off his shoulders had her stomach pitching? The deliberate unbuttoning of his pants and rasp of the zipper had her nipples pebbling?

  He toed off his boots and stripped everything off, his thumbs shoving down his pants and boxers in one go, socks with them, so that when he straightened, he was pure, beautiful male, naked, already half aroused, muscles flexing and bunching, so tall, so strong, so…dominating.

  Not once did his gaze waver, pinning her to the bed. Taking in his male beauty, she could only gulp and shift nervously. Moist heat pooled low, making her press her thighs together.

  Oh sweet, merciful God, he wanted her. It was there in his eyes, in his already half aroused shaft.

  He actually wanted her.

  There was no doubt that she wanted him, God no. Wanted him so badly that desire was sliding through her veins in a slow, burning stream.

  “One choice,” he said softly. “I go or I stay.”

  Was that a choice? With him standing there in his buff, all hot and deliciously male? He’d certainly tipped the scales in hi
s favour, heavily in his favour. It was no contest. She definitely wanted him to stay. Her throbbing body certainly did, and she literally ached now to feel him against her, her core wet, her skin fairly humming in eagerness. “Adam…”

  “I stay, it’s my way.”

  Oh geez, that sent shivers down her spine. Decadent shivers. “Yes. Stay.” Her voice was husky with need, her thighs clamping together in an effort to control the tremors.

  Her thighs. Her very plump thighs.

  All at once, the insecurities she’d thought she’d long ago pushed away came soaring back, making her aware of her full figure next to his chiselled, muscular perfection. Suddenly self-conscious, she glanced away, pulling at her skirt that had climbed up her legs when he’d tossed her onto the bed without breaking a sweat.

  “Don’t bother tugging it down,” he said. “It’s coming off.”

  “Ah…” Desire and self-consciousness warred, each torturously pulling her a different way.

  In a lithe move he was suddenly over her, bending low, hands again braced each side of her head, his position forcing her to recline back onto the pillow. His face was calm, but carnal desire gleamed in his dark eyes. “My way.”

  Oh geez. Oh lordy, she had a feeling this wasn’t going to be easy. Combined with the intensity with which he gazed down at her, she wasn’t sure if his words were a threat or a promise.

  “Um...Adam…”

  “My way means you’re naked and you won’t attempt to hide your body from my gaze, my exploration.” His head lowered, the lock of dark hair tumbling over his brow. “Let’s get a few things sorted out right now, so there’s no doubt. I like a woman with meat on her bones. I like a woman with a full figure. I love the curves and softness.”

  Ooohh, that sounded wonderful. Barbie relaxed a little.

  His gaze slid down to her lips. “I like to hear a woman moan, I like to make a woman moan. No holding back.” His gaze lifted, eyes practically burning with carnal heat. “I’m going to explore your body, I’m going to touch and taste. I’m going to take possession of this lush, soft body.”

  Any second she was going to have a heart attack, there was no way her heart could possibly handle beating so erratically. Barbie moistened her lips.