Reaching into his pants, he handed her the keys. When she leaned in and kissed him, he wanted to shout to the world, but simply kissed her again.

"Missy Dane, we sleep here tonight? I find sheets. We make big party. I order pizza from Daddy place. Okay?" Pi said, just a little nervous.

"Yes, I'll pick it up on my way...I just realized I don't have any money. I have more money than I'll ever spend in my lifetime and I don't have a single penny on me." Her laughter scared Jamie a little and when he started to reach for her, Ronnie pulled out her purse.

"Come on, Dane. you and I will go visit a friend. Devin, you and Jamie fix up a few bedrooms. I'll call the nanny and have her bring Marie here. Pi, why don't you see what you need in the kitchen in the way of groceries? Then tomorrow we'll go shopping for whatever you need."

When Ronnie leaned in and kissed him, she whispered in his ear that she would take good care of her. With a quick kiss on the cheeks, both women were gone. Jamie looked over at his brother who looked pole axed.

"So, do you think she's good for the money?" Devin looked at him for several seconds then threw back his head and laughed. The tension was broken but not the bomb.

"I have a client worth more than all of our combined a.s.sets. Christ, wait until I tell Nicky.

He'll s.h.i.t a brick. I'll have to hire an accountant and someone just to watch over her money.

Holy s.h.i.t, eight billion."

"Yeah, that's a lot." He started up the stairs, not caring if he followed or not. She was worth more than anyone he knew. And this house...how the h.e.l.l could he expect her to stay with him, a lowly teacher, when she had all this.

"Jamie?" Devin yelled as Jamie cleared the stairs. "What's up? You don't think she's going to change, do you? My G.o.d, that woman loves you. Why I have no idea, but there you have it.

This isn't going to change her. You have to believe that."

"Yeah, sure. Let's get her house put together. I never did find the master bedroom. Do you think she'll want to-"

"Jamie, look at me." Devin turned him around. "She loves you. This won't change anything.

It's not going to change the woman that she is."

"Sure it will, Devin. Like she said, she has more money than she can spend in several lifetimes. I'll fix up the bedroom down here. I just need a few minutes. I'll be all right." He hurt. His heart felt...trampled. He did not know if it was because she wanted to be alone and had taken Ronnie, or that she did not want him with her. He walked into the biggest bedroom he'd ever seen and sat on the unmade bed. Even this room screamed money. Laying back, he closed his eyes.

They'd been driving for about ten minutes when Dane realized she was with Ronnie. She looked over at the other woman and frowned. How the h.e.l.l did that happen? She supposed that it was a good thing she was not driving.

"Where are we going? I don't remember leaving the house. Pizza, I remember pizza. Why are you driving?" Dane looked around. She had no clue where they were.

"I have money, you don't. I was wondering if you've talked to Cait. She feels really bad about what happened to you that day. I know that you and her have a history, but I think you two need to clear the air. Especially now."

"Why especially now?" Dane looked out the windows. "You know I've never met a nosier bunch of people in my life as you guys. Are there any boundaries you guys don't cross? All I wanted to do was keep a man from getting killed and my past has come up and snapped my b.u.t.t, I've had my apartment trashed, and now I'm going to visit someone who hates me. I'm not saying you guys are to blame for all that, but still." Truth be told, she really couldn't blame them for any of it, but she was rambling. A person did not have to make sense when they rambled. If there wasn't a rule about that, there should be.

"Especially now that you and Jamie are getting married," Ronnie went on. "You are going to marry him, aren't you? They can be pushy at times, the Grant men, but they love you more than you'll ever be loved or ever hope to be loved." Dane wondered who left this woman in charge and realized that no one would have left her in charge. She'd have knocked the c.r.a.p out of the person in the front of the line and taken over. Probably killed the other leader with one fist tied behind her back.

"Hold on a second there! Married? I don't think so. Married? Why would he want to marry me? As my mother used to say...f.u.c.k her. She didn't love me, why should I quote her? I don't think James had any plans in making our...relationship? Whatever it is, I don't think he plans to make it permanent. We're having a great time in bed. Yeah, we love each other, but that doesn't mean...why would he want to marry me?" Dane felt her heart pound in her chest. Marry?

"You know you keep asking me that," Ronnie said with a laugh. "Maybe you should ask him. And loving someone is a great reason to marry someone. Is it the money? I would imagine that would make a difference in someone's life, but Jamie has had money all his life. And you too for that matter. What's a few billion between lovers?"

"The money? No, I don't care about the money. It just makes it so we can do what we want when we...you know, you're scary. I am not marrying James. Besides, it's a moot point. He's never asked. I would think that's a pretty important thing when two people make the decision to get married, don't you? One of them should ask the other? What are you doing now?" They had pulled up in front of the hospital. Dane had a scary thought that Ronnie was going to knock her block off and then throw her out of the door as she zoomed past. She really needed to take a break here. These sort of thoughts were nuts.

"Get out. Cait's room is two thirty-four. She might have little Paddy in there so try not to p.i.s.s her off too much. It might sour her milk. Go up there and play nice. I'll be back in an hour.

Don't worry. I'll make sure the guys know where we are." Not really knowing why, Dane slipped out of the car and shut the door. Before she could turn back and ask again what she was doing there, Ronnie took off like the hounds of h.e.l.l were after her. Yes, I really need a break.

Dane wandered around the hospital for several minutes. Then found the gift shop. She didn't have any money, but she did have a credit card. She had to stop the slightly crazed giggle that burst forth as she thought about if she could make the payment next month.

She knew as soon as she saw it that it was perfect. Picking it up carefully, she took the little gift to the cashier and set it down. She asked if she could leave it there. She needed to get a couple more things, and went back to shopping. A hundred and twenty-three dollars later, she was headed to room two thirty-four.

Once she got off the elevator, she wasn't sure what to do. Did she just knock and go in?

What if she was nursing her kid or something? What if the family was in there? She paced for several minutes with her hands full of little bags until one of the nurses started staring at her.

Taking a deep breath, she knocked and when granted, she walked in.

She didn't know what she expected, but seeing Cait in a rocking chair crying was not one of them. Dane had never been good around tears with adults and now was no different. Setting the bags on the bed, she sat in the chair across from her.

"Did pushy b.u.t.t tell you I was coming and you're unhappy because your gun is in your other pants? I think we should use it on her. She made me come up here."

"Are you wishing you hadn't? I'm glad you're here. And 'pushy b.u.t.t?' That could be anyone of the Grant woman including you. And have you met Margaret? Christ, that woman will steam roll you in a second if you let her. No, post baby blues, I guess. I was feeling sorry for myself."

She decided to ignore the comment about her being a Grant woman. She was frankly getting a little upset about the conversation. Dane walked over and looked down at the infant asleep in the little crib. She'd never held one so small and wanted to hold this one. She looked back at Cait.

"May I hold him? Oh, I have something for him and the little girl, I don't know her name.

You too."

"Dane, I wanted to tell you how-"

"Please don't. Let's move on from here, all right? That is if you can forgive me. I've done some...some incredibly stupid things in my life and though I've tried hard not to hurt people, I know I have. Especially then. My mother was...she wasn't a nice person. And for reasons I can only guess, she hated me. I tried, every day I tried to do things she wanted me to, to be the girl she needed me to be. But those children..." Dane ran her finger down Paddy's cheek. "I could save them, Cait, and I did. But it cost me so much. I think it cost us both so much. Can you forgive me?"

Instead of answering, Cait got up and went to the crib. She picked up her son and handed him to Dane. Then hugged her. Dane held her close too. She had never felt such wonderful emotions from someone, and returned them.

"s.h.i.t! I felt that! You can do that? That must be really weird when you and Jamie have s.e.x!" Dane could only stare at her open mouthed. She felt heat stain her cheeks as she turned away. These people were beyond anything she'd ever encountered.

"I'm not sure about that. He seems okay with it. He doesn't really...complain, I guess." She sat on the chair again, holding the baby. "I keep waiting for him to freak out. To run screaming into the night."

"Dane, you can talk to-"

"You know, I should have asked your sizes when I left," Ronnie said as she entered the room, her hands full of bags. "I had a h.e.l.l of a time getting something...what's happened? d.a.m.n it, I thought you two would kiss and make up. Now everyone is going to be p.i.s.sed at me. I'm sorry, guys. I thought that getting you together would help you both."

"Nothing happened," Dane said without moving. "And what do you need my sizes for?

OhmiG.o.d! You bought me a straight jacket, didn't you?"

"No, I bought you a negligee. It's black. I have one sort of like it. Well, now I have one just like it. I thought you could use it with your new house. Jamie will love it."

"You want me to parade around in my new house in a black negligee? I don't think so. I mean, you're nice and...well, you're pushy, but I suppose you mean well. But I draw the line at having matching underwear. You'll have to take it back." Dane laughed at her expression, but continued.

"You bought a new house? Cool, what's it look like? Can I come see it as soon as they release me? I love our house. Is it big?"

"It's huge!" Ronnie squealed. "Twenty-five bedrooms and two flipping dining rooms. You should see this thing. And it's furnished too! Devin and I are staying tonight, if the guys can find sheets. Which reminds me, Devin called. He thinks you should knock some sense into Jamie. I don't know what happened, but he said he hasn't come out of the bedroom since we left." Dane felt as if her heart had stopped beating. He figured out something. She was not really sure what, but knew that he had made a decision and that she was not going to like it. Feeling tears fill her eyes, she looked down at the baby.

"I'd like to go now please. I have to...could we please go now? Thank you, Cait. I'll...he probably...I'm really sorry, could we go?"

Neither woman said anything to her as she handed the baby back to Cait. Or if they did, she did not hear them. Moving as though in a bad dream, she and Ronnie left the hospital and went to the car. Dane vaguely remembered stopping once, and the smell of pizza making her slightly sick, but nothing else. When she got to the house, she was out of the car before it stopped completely. She went to the bedroom with the pink shopping bag still in her hand.

*CHAPTER 17*.

Jamie heard the door open and close, but did not open his eyes. It wasn't until the bed dipped that he thought it might not be Devin. He looked over at Dane who sat on the edge of the bed with a bright pink bag on her lap as she cried.

"Dane? What is it? Are you-"

"I'm really sorry. I told you that I'd hurt...do you know that my ex-husband took an ad out in the paper telling people what a freak I am? Of course most people didn't understand it. He wasn't smart enough to put the stupid thing in Chinese. And the few people who could read it didn't care. Then there was the fact that I couldn't have children. I forgot to tell you that. I'm sorry about that too. His mother had me tested after we were married. I didn't tell her I was on the pill so I couldn't get pregnant, but when the ad came out and I found out, I just stopped taking it. What was the point? Anyway, I'm sorry. You should probably go, huh?" Jamie didn't say anything. He didn't know what had happened between the time that she left and now, but he was reasonably sure that something had. He reached over and took the bag from her, intending to hold her and figure it out when it spilled on the floor.

He picked it up and looked at what it was. "Christ, Dane! Is this for me? Oh, honey, I love it."

"You'll look silly in it. Your sister-in-law bought it for me, or you, I guess. But she bought it before she talked to Devin. You know they're a pushy, nosey bunch of people." She tried to s.n.a.t.c.h it back from him.

Devin? He tried to think what happened to have Devin upset Dane and remembered snippets of what he'd said to his brother. s.h.i.t! He'd f.u.c.ked it up royally-him and Devin.

"Dane, will you put this on for me? I'd really like to see it on you before you make me go home. And yes, they are pushy and nosey, but I think they mean well. Go put it on for me.

Please?"

He put the tiny pieces of sheer lace in her hand and pushed her up off the bed. When he guided her to the bathroom and she went inside, he did a little jig. Then he looked around the room. He stripped off the bed and found the linens someone had put on the trunk at the bottom of the bed. Rushing around, he put the sheets on then threw the comforter over them. Going to the fireplace, he was pleased to see that it was electric, and turned on the flames. He was just standing up again when the door opened. Mother f.u.c.k!

Dane had let her hair down and it fell in soft waves down her back. The nightie or whatever it was called was...magnificent. The top was a barely there see thru bit of lace that hugged her b.r.e.a.s.t.s like a second skin. The tiny ribbons that tied at her shoulders strained to hold her. The lace that covered her full b.r.e.a.s.t.s did not hide her nipples, which were erect and hard. The front of it tied together with another little ribbon and hung open to the bottom. A triangle of lace and more ribbon covered her mound and nothing else. His mouth both watered at the sight before him and dried at the same time. He could not move, words failed him, and his body was on fire.

"I've never worn anything like this before. I don't think it covers much, does it? Do you like it?"

Her voice sounded unsure and if he had not been so totally focused on her, he might have missed it. He looked at her face and could see that she didn't have a clue how beautiful she was.

He started toward her slowly and spoke softly.

"I'm going to buy you one of these every night for the rest of our lives. I want to take it from your body slowly and rip it from you at the same time. I want to peel away each inch of it to taste your skin and I want to ravage you quickly. I have never in all my life seen a more luscious, beautiful creature in my life. Dane, I love you so much, I ache with it. I ache with a need to show you, to prove to you that I love you beyond everything else."

"You're not leaving me?" Dane asked. "When Ronnie said that you were locked in here after we left, I thought you might have changed your mind. I know that I'm not exactly what a man wants in a partner, but I thought we could have more fun while we're together. I have to tell you something. It's important, all right?"

He looked at her and was a little nervous. Nodding, he stepped back a step and waited. She would not look at him and he wanted to tilt her face up so that he could see, but wanted her to take her own time.

"I can't have children. I'm sorry, I should have told you sooner, but I never...he didn't tell me until we were married and I...Nathan took out this whole page ad telling everyone that he was divorcing me and why. Among my freakish abilities, he also said I was barren. Actually, people were more upset about that than my ability to read their emotions. But I can't have your child. I'm so sorry, James." She flushed. "I know that's a bit...you know, premature, but I thought you should know."

He was hurt at first, no children, but then he thought about her and having her. She was his.

He was going to find this ex-husband of hers someday and beat the ever-loving s.h.i.t out of him if it was the last thing he ever did.

"Baby, we'll just have to figure out another way to have children. There are lots of children out there that we could adopt. I don't care about that. Well, I do, but not as much as I love you.

Dane, I know this is probably the worst timing, but will you marry me? Will you please become my wife? I don't have a ring, but I do love you."

She walked to him, wrapped her arms around his neck, and pulled him in to her mouth. She was not shy this time, but opened her mouth over his and took. Sliding his hands into the opening of her top, he pulled her to him.

Using restraint he did not know he had, he kissed her back, gentling the kiss and pulling back from her slightly. Time, he was going to take his time with her. He was going to make love to her.

Reaching up, he untied one ribbon at her shoulder and watched as it dropped down. The material was so tight over her breast it did not fall but clung to her. He took the ribbon and pulled it down slowly until her nipple caught on the lace. Using his tongue, he wet the material and it let go, Dane moaned above him.

"I talked to Byron the other night about you. About how to make it so that you don't hold back on us. I want you to trust me tonight and do what I want, all right?"

"James, I'm not sure if I'd like to get into the games he plays, some but not all of them. He and Taylor are...more s.e.xually advanced than I am." He should have known she'd know they were into bondage. Smiling at her, he untied the other ribbon.

"He said that I should tie you to the bed and have my way with you. That I should have you not come until you were nearly ready to explode or kill me one. Would you let me tie you up, Dane?"

"I'm ready to explode now. Please, you're going too slow. I want to feel you touch me. I want you inside of me."

He leaned down and took her nipple into his mouth and nipped at it. She surged against him with a hiss. Untying the last piece of ribbon between her b.r.e.a.s.t.s, he let the top fall to the floor.

She was panting. Her hot breath sent heat coursing through his veins.

"I want you hotter. Lie down on the bed, put your arms above your head, and hold onto the headboard. Don't let go, not until I tell you to. Next time we go out, we're going to go shopping and buy us some toys to play with. I think we might enjoy them." He watched as she moved to the bed. When she turned, he noticed the scars again and wanted to run his tongue over them and soothe her. But he knew if he touched her right now, he'd be inside of her in seconds. Watching her do as he asked, his c.o.c.k ached to be free. He took off his shirt and pants but left his boxers on. No since in inviting more trouble.

Her b.r.e.a.s.t.s looked inviting with the flicker of flame reflecting off them. He dropped his knees on the floor beside her and rubbed the palm of his hand over the taut peak. Her arms strained to move, but she left them where he had told her to put them.

"I'm going to lick your entire body, Dane. Then when I'm finished, I'm going to start again.

The thought of touching you and tasting you makes me ache in ways I've never felt before." Removing his hand, he laved his tongue over the darkened areola and teased her nipple.

When she moaned, he licked the underside of her breast and suckled at it, feeling the heavy flesh tighten more. Moving his mouth down her ribs, he licked and kissed each rib as he went. When he got to her hip, he bit her gently and watched as her hips rose up off the bed and undulated. He could smell her now, her arousal, her heat, and wanted to again rip the barrier away and feast on her tender folds.

Standing, he moved onto the bed, pulling her legs apart as he went. He sat on his knees between them and tried to decide where to go next. Her face captured him, her eyes dark as night, lips swollen from her biting them. A blush fanned over her cheeks as she looked back at him. Crawling up her body without touching her, he took her mouth. The kiss was hungry and sharp; their tongues dueled and danced. He tasted her need in the dark warmth and returned it to her. Pulling away and sitting back down was the hardest thing he'd ever done.

Starting at her ankles, he ran both hands up her calves and back down again. Over and over he skimmed her legs, his touch barely a whisper. Needing to see his effect on her, he untied the ribbons at her hips one at a time with his mouth pulling the tie slowly. When both sides were undone, he nipped it between his lips and pulled it away from her.

"Christ, James, you're killing me. Please, let me touch you. I need you to touch me, please?"

"No. Don't move or I'll stop. I'm enjoying this too much to hurry though it." He had no idea how he would have stopped, but the threat worked apparently because she didn't let go of the head board.

Her p.u.s.s.y was soaked. The soft curls were glistening with her juices and he wanted to bury his mouth over her and drink. Knowing that he would not be able to stop, he did run his long finger along the seam and then push inside of her.

Wet heat and a tight grip made him moan. Moving slowly in and out of her, he watched as she rode his finger. When he inserted a second then a third, he nearly came when she started begging him to f.u.c.k her.

"You want to come, baby, I need something from you. You have to let go and enjoy this. I want to feel what you're feeling not only when you come, but all the time we're in bed together."

"It's too much. You don't know what you're asking me. Please, let me come, you come inside of me."

Without answering her, he pulled out of her and licked his fingers. His c.o.c.k wept for her. It was getting harder and harder, literally, to not give her what she wanted. He resumed his a.s.sault and leaned down and braced himself over her body.

With his mouth, he touched her, kissing and biting at her. For every bite he inflicted on her, he would kiss her. Nothing was left untouched, the indentation of her belly b.u.t.ton, and the middle of her ribs, the small scar he found on her side, and the tiny mole he discovered on her pelvis. Each and every inch of her felt his tongue and mouth until he got to her breast.