Strong Heat Read online

  “None.”

  Kael just laughed it off. “We’ll see in twenty years,” he said.

  “Maybe,” Logan agreed, using his cane to open a closet door. “And maybe not.”

  Kael walked over to one of the many windows lining the middle room and looked down on the acres upon acres of green pasture.

  “The rate you’re going, the rooms will be open and available regardless,” Logan said, dropping the little gem before he limped his tall figure out the room.

  Kael looked out the door behind him, and when his father moved, his eyes fell on Lisha. He smiled at the way he caught her eyes shifting as she looked inside each of the bedrooms. So she does care.

  He left the bedroom and walked up to her. “Your boyfriend mind you being here?” he asked for her ears alone.

  “Why would he mind?” she countered, finally looking at him directly and locking her eyes on his.

  “Because of what happened against that wall,” he said, pointing toward that spot near the front door even as he kept his eyes leveled on her.

  Lisha didn’t look, but her cheeks warmed.

  “And later that night on the other wall,” he added. “Remember?”

  She looked up at him sharply. “Cut your crap. I’m not falling for it no more. Okay?”

  Logan walked through the double doors of the master bedroom. He stopped as he eyed them. “Do you two need to be alone?” he asked.

  Lisha shook her head and walked over to lightly touch his father’s elbow. “Not at all,” she said, as she walked with him to the steps.

  Kael lowered his head as he pressed his hands to his hips, wondering when the tables had turned for Lisha to be angry at him.

  “We are more than done,” she said firmly.

  Chapter 11

  “Hold up, Lisha.”

  She looked up in surprise at Kael walking out onto the porch. She was just about to climb into the passenger seat of Logan’s truck and the loud diesel was already roaring with life. “What do you want, Kael?” she asked, more than exasperated with him.

  “I want to talk to you,” he said.

  “Go talk to Bea,” she snapped, climbing into the truck and slamming the door.

  “Bea?” he asked. “What the hell do I want to talk to her for?”

  He came down the stairs and reached for the door handle.

  Lisha clutched the top of door through the open window and tugged to keep it closed.

  He pulled.

  She tugged.

  Logan chuckled.

  Kael cockily used just one hand and jerked the door open with one hard jerk that showed his strength over her. He reached in and grasped her upper arms to lift her out the truck and down onto her sneakered feet. Lisha childishly kicked his shin and Kael howled out in pain.

  When she turned to climb back into the truck, he reached out and wrapped one strong arm around her waist to hold her writhing body against his.

  Lisha tried like hell to loosen his steel-like arm around her, even digging her nails into his brown flesh and pummeling her fists anywhere her arms could reach. Finally giving up, she dropped her hands and released ragged breaths. “Mr. Strong, please tell Kael to put me down,” she requested, eyeing him as he sat in the driver’s seat and watched them with amusement.

  “I will . . . if you promise to stand there and listen to him,” he said. “Please.”

  “I don’t need your help, Dad,” Kael said.

  Logan ignored him and continued to eye Lisha. “Please,” he said.

  In the weeks since she’d been working with him she knew that one word had not been an easy one for him to say and so Lisha nodded.

  “Let her down, boy,” Logan said.

  “I’m not a little boy,” Kael said.

  Logan lowered his head to make sure his son could see his eyes. “Let her down, Kael,” he said again in that no-nonsense voice that demanded and received respect.

  Moments later Lisha was on solid ground. She turned and glared at him. “What do you have to talk to me about?” she asked.

  Suddenly the door of the truck slammed closed and the diesel sounded off as Logan revved the engine. “Make sure you get her back to my house, son,” he called out the window before accelerating forward.

  Lisha whirled again. “Mr. Strong,” she called behind him even as his truck got smaller with the growing distance.

  Kael chuckled.

  “What the hell is funny about being stranded?” she asked him.

  “You’re not stranded,” he said.

  Lisha just shook her head and moved past him to sit on the steps of the porch. She was steamed and could steadily feel the heat of her anger rising until she thought the top of her head might blow off. “Look, I’m pretty sure Bea wouldn’t agree with you being here with me, so could you take me to my car?” she demanded, looking up at him as he walked over to stand above her.

  In his jeans, Lisha could clearly see the outline of his member and she leaned back, remembering the hardness if it.

  “I’m not involved with Bea,” he said. “I mean she’s throwing herself at me pretty hard, but I don’t want it.”

  “Liar,” Lisha said.

  “I’m not a liar, Lisha,” he said.

  “Well, somebody’s lying because Bea made it clear she was there to see you and be a good woman for you and cook chicken for you,” she stressed.

  Kael came around her to sit beside her on the step. Lisha scooted away from him. “Bea likes me. She’s my sister’s friend and I don’t know what she said to you—”

  “She didn’t say it to me,” Lisha admitted, biting her bottom lip as she looked away.

  Kael looked puzzled.

  “I overheard her talking to your sister,” she admitted.

  Kael reached over and lightly grasped Lisha’s stubborn chin. “I have never kissed Bea and I don’t want to,” he said, his eyes searching hers.

  Lisha hated how she felt like she was swimming in the brown depths of his eyes. “You don’t think she’s all sexy and stuff?” she asked, her voice soft and unsure.

  “I didn’t say that—”

  Lisha smacked his hand away.

  “But I don’t want her,” he added. “Not to date, not to kiss, not for sex . . . and for damn sure not for her cooking.”

  Lisha laughed a little at that and then she remembered something. “Well, you don’t want me either,” she said lightly.

  “Oh, I want you.”

  Lisha took in a hot little breath as she turned her head to look into his handsome face. Her eyes glazed over and her mouth opened a bit as she saw the way his eyes honed in on her lips.

  He leaned in and she swore he was going to kiss her again. She closed her eyes in anticipation of that first fiery spark of his mouth touching down on hers.

  When the kiss never came she opened her eyes just enough to see that he had leaned back from her. Huh?

  “Kissing me and dating other guys?” he asked.

  “What?” she asked.

  “Your date. Your boyfriend. How is he?”

  Lisha waved her hand dismissively. “I didn’t go on a date. I just said that because I thought Bea was your girlfriend,” she said. “But even if I had a date, would I be wrong? You don’t want a relationship.”

  Kael leaned forward, pressing his elbows onto the top of his knees. “But I can’t share you with anyone else.”

  Lisha licked her lips, feeling both a thrill and a disappointment about his words. “Well, in two weeks I’ll be gone and we won’t have to see each other ever again.”

  Kael wiped his face with both of his hands. “I don’t want that either,” he admitted.

  “You don’t know what you want, Kael Strong,” she said.

  “I can’t lie. You have had me messed up since that day I saw you in the hospital,” he admitted.

  “So why fight it?” she asked, looking down at her hands as she twisted her fingers.

  He didn’t say anything.

  “I’m not going t
o fight for something you obviously feel so conflicted about, Kael,” she said. “But I will say I think this is something special and it does feel like a loss to me. It feels like God blessed us with something that could grow into something amazing and you’re just throwing it away because of some stupid girl who didn’t know how to love—not just you—but anyone probably.”

  Kael stood up and then pulled her to her feet. He easily lifted her onto the next step so that their eyes were level with one another. “I could fall for you,” he admitted in a deep and husky voice as his hands rested on her hips.

  She brought her hands up to stroke the sides of his face and traced his bottom lip with one of her thumbs. “Then let’s fall together,” she whispered to him.

  Lisha leaned in and pressed her lips to his, closing her eyes as she stroked the contours of his mouth with her tongue before he opened his mouth and allowed her in. Her entire body trembled and flooded with heat as she stroked his tongue with hers as she brought her hands down onto his shoulders and then his back to tightly grip the material in her fists.

  With a moan of pleasure, she gently tugged his tongue into her mouth and worked her chin in tiny up and down motions as she sucked it.

  Kael released a moan filled with his own hunger, bringing his hands around to clasp her buttocks, gently kneading the soft flesh as he enjoyed her taking control and kissing him. He honestly felt like he could stand there forever with her in his arms kissing him like that.

  Kael made her feel bold and brazen. He brought out her confidence and made her follow her womanly instincts on what to do to please him. As she tilted her head to the side and lightly fluttered the tip of her tongue against his, she brought her hands down his strong wide back and then under the edge of his shirt. The first feel of her hands against his warm skin made him shiver and that pushed her to lightly rake her nails up and then down the expanse of his back.

  Kael’s hands eased under her shirt as well and she gasped hotly into his open mouth at the feel of his touch. “Kael,” she cried out, flinging her head back as he pressed hot kisses to the length of her neck.

  She felt his hand coming around to the edge of her bra and she was so lost in their passion that she didn’t object when his fingers slid under the lace to touch the brown mounds.

  “Boss.”

  She moaned and her knees weakened beneath her as his fingers gently circled her hard nipples.

  “Boss,” Jim said louder.

  Kael and Lisha broke apart to find Jim standing a-ways back from them, but clearly in full view of them. Feeling flooded with embarrassment, Lisha turned and raced up the stairs, nearly tripping in her haste to reach the inside of the house.

  Closing the door she rushed to lower her bra back onto her breasts and then winced when the lace rubbed against her hard and aching nipples. She turned when the door opened and Kael walked in. Lisha made a face of horror. “That was so embarrassing,” she said.

  “You?” he asked in disbelief. “Can you imagine standing up and talking to my employee—a dude—with a hard-on?”

  “Is he gone?” she asked.

  Kael nodded and reached for her, pulling her body close and settling his chin atop her head as he rocked her body back and forth smoothly. “God, huh?” he asked, referring to her earlier comment.

  Lisha shrugged as she closed her eyes and enjoyed the scent of him and the feel of him as he held her. Everything about it was pure goodness. Everything.

  But she stepped out of his embrace a bit and looked up at him. “You know what, Kael, I will lay it all out for you,” she said.

  He looked surprised. “Really?”

  She playfully swatted at him. “Not like that,” she stressed. “I meant I want to open up and take a risk by exposing how I feel so that maybe you will take the risk by letting yourself be with someone who is impressed by you, who feels protected by you, someone who smiles just by seeing you, someone who shivers at the very thought of your kisses. Someone who would never betray you. Someone who believes that she could really, really love you. Like love you hard . . . the way you deserved.”

  Lisha stood up on her toes and pressed a kiss next to his mouth. “And that someone is me,” she said. “But I want you to think about it and you make damn sure I am what you want and need.”

  Kael picked her up and hugged her close.

  Lisha snuggled her face into his neck and pressed a kiss there.

  When he eventually set her back down on her feet, she smiled up at him and then presented her hand. “Deal?”

  He nodded and shook her offered hand. “Deal,” he agreed.

  Kael wasn’t ready for her to leave him. “Do you want to ride?”

  Lisha looked shocked at the suggestion.

  “A horse?” he added. “Do you want to ride a horse?”

  “Oh,” she said, looking slightly relieved.

  “You ever rode a horse?” he asked.

  Lisha made a face like “please.”

  He laughed. “Do you want to ride?” he asked again.

  “Is it safe?” she asked even as she let him take her by the hand and lead her out the door.

  “I won’t let anything happen to you,” he promised.

  She looked unsure, but walked beside him anyway as he made his way across the stretch of land to a large tree where his quarter horse Sampson was tied loosely as he enjoyed his hay and water. The evening sun glistened through the break in the leaves and made his coat golden. As they neared the powerful animal he felt Lisha pull back. He looked down at her and saw the fear in her eyes.

  “It’s okay,” he said. “Come around to the front and let him see you.”

  She did as he said even as she kept herself safely shielded behind him. He wondered if she was aware that Sampson’s eyes were steadily locked on her as well. As he stepped closer to his animal, Kael held his hand up, palm side down. Sampson instantly lowered his head and then brought his nose up against it in greeting.

  Lisha jumped and squealed, but Kael just smoothed Sampson’s jaw and the bridge of his nose. “How are you, boy?” he said to keep him settled so that he didn’t rear up from being startled by her.

  “Come on, Lisha,” he said. “Stroke his nose just like this.”

  She stepped closer to Kael.

  He reached behind himself and lightly grabbed her wrist to pull her forward. Holding her hand, he opened her palm and guided her to stroke the horse. She jumped at the first feel of him and Kael kept her hand steady until he felt the tension leave her body.

  He was surprised and thought Lisha gutsy when she stepped from behind him. “Good boy,” she said. “Don’t act up.”

  Sampson nudged her hand with his nose.

  “It’s his way of saying hello,” Kael explained.

  “Oh . . . okay. Well . . . hello,” she said.

  “Ready?”

  Lisha looked over her shoulder at him as she continued to stroke Sampson’s neck. “Ready for what?” she asked.

  “To ride.”

  Lisha’s eyes dipped down to his nether region before looking back up at him with reddened cheeks. “Yeah,” she said, turning from him with a mischievous smile.

  Kael liked her mix of innocence and sexiness.

  Fighting the urge to grab her and kiss her until she undressed and begged him to make love to her, he undid the reins and climbed up into the saddle with ease. Looking down at her, he held out one hand.

  Lisha whispered something near Sampson’s ear that caused the horse to shift back and forth a bit. She took his hand though.

  “Put your left foot on top of mine in the stirrup while I pull you up,” he instructed, carefully watching her. “Then lift your right leg over the saddle.”

  She did as he told her, and with one strong tug Kael pulled her up, leaning back as she straddled the saddle. The plushness of her buttocks settled atop his thighs a bit. He felt his dick stir and hoped she couldn’t feel his growing erection as she kept shifting her bottom to find comfort in the saddle.
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br />   “Ready?” he asked, settling one arm loosely around her waist as he loosened the reins a bit.

  Sampson slowly walked to the left of the tree and down a newly broken path.

  Kael found himself leaning a bit to the side to check her expression.

  She looked a little trepid, but she was still looking around at the beauty of the summer flowers blooming and the varying deep greens of the heavily wooded area. In time he felt her body relax in the saddle, but that only made her bottom press more deeply against his crotch.

  Shifting back so that she landed more securely in the saddle in front of him, Kael nudged Sampson forward.

  “What’s that?” Lisha asked, pointing.

  “The hunting cabin,” he answered her. “I think it’s been there even longer than the house.”

  She nodded and Kael nudged Sampson forward toward the more heavily wooded areas.

  “Is it safe?” she asked.

  “This area is great for deer hunting and that season doesn’t open up for another week or so,” Kael explained. “Plus it’s private land and they are supposed to get my permission before hunting on it.”

  “Do you hunt?”

  “What country boy doesn’t?” he joked, leaning a bit again to look at her.

  She glanced back at him.

  “I have a beautiful ten-point head I’m going to put over the fireplace in the living room,” he boasted as he leaned them both back a bit as Sampson skillfully moved down a slight incline.

  “Oh, Kael, not in the living room,” she said. “Maybe put it in your den, but not your living room. That’s the room you dress up and no one uses except on special occasions like family holidays.”

  “Oh, yeah?” he asked.

  Lisha nodded. “Yes,” she stressed.

  He just chuckled.

  “What are you going to do with all this land, Kael?” she asked.

  He shrugged. “Expand my ranch one day if I make it,” he said.

  She settled her hands on top of his and patted it. “You will,” she said with ease as she continued to look around.

  “You’re not making it easier,” he said.

  She looked over her shoulder at him. “What?” she asked.