Jonny's Redemption (Gemini Group Book 7) Read online

  “Baby?”

  Was he talking to me?

  My head lulled to the side and I cracked my eyes open a sliver.

  Icy blue filled my vision.

  Eyes that were dancing with smug satisfaction.

  “Shower or bed?”

  “Don’t care,” I slurred.

  “Bed,” he decided.

  I kinda shrugged, maybe sort of, but when his smile split his face I figured I missed the mark and it probably looked like I twitched. I was the very definition of wet noodle when Jonny carried me through the house. My arms were hanging over his shoulders, my legs were limp, and my forehead rested below his chin. If it weren’t for his death grip on my bottom, I would’ve fallen to the floor.

  Jonny gently laid me on the bed and sat on the edge. There was a tiny part of my brain that still worked, reminding me I was mostly naked while Jonny was fully clothed. With any other man, I would’ve been embarrassed. Actually, with any other man, I would’ve been horrified. But Jonny had just given me two of the best orgasms of my life. I was wrung out and sated and couldn’t find a reason to be uncomfortable.

  “You okay?” he asked.

  Was he insane?

  Perhaps I’d heard him wrong.

  “Did you just ask if I was okay?”

  Jonny did a slow blink. He did that a lot when he thought I was acting dorky. I knew because I’d asked him once why he blinked and shook his head when I asked questions. He told me straight out it was because I was the only person who could shock him into silence. Since I was awkward more than I wasn’t, he blinked a lot. He also laughed at me, something I worked for. Sometimes I did and said stupid things just to see his eyelids slowly close as a smile tug at his lips.

  “Yeah, I asked you if you were okay,” he confirmed and brushed my hair off my shoulder.

  Once he had the hank tucked behind my ear, his fingertip trailed down to my neck and his hand stopped at my bra strap.

  “Do I not look okay?”

  And there it was—his deep, rumbling laugh. A gift that was no less perfect than the first time he gave it to me. Each time I heard it I paused to memorize the rusty sound, unsure how long it would be before he blessed me with another.

  “I was rough.”

  “And?”

  “You banged your head pretty hard.”

  “I did?”

  “Yeah, baby, you did.”

  I shrugged, and now that I wasn’t doing my best impersonation of a coma patient, I knew I actually lifted my shoulder in response.

  “Oh, well, it doesn’t hurt.”

  That might have been a lie. My brain still wasn’t firing on all cylinders. The haze of back-to-back orgasms hadn’t faded, thus I was still tingly. At that point, I could’ve had a fractured skull and I probably wouldn’t have known it.

  “You always this cute after you’ve been fucked nearly unconscious?”

  “First, you didn’t fuck me nearly unconscious. Second, don’t ruin my mellow by being an asshole.”

  “Baby, you were practically comatose.”

  My mellow faded and my eyes narrowed. “Sweet britches, it’ll take more than that to get me to pass out.” Jonny’s lips twitched and he shook his head. He wasn’t buying my lie. “And now you’ve gone and harshed my postcoital bliss, which means you owe me another orgasm.”

  Jonny’s grin turned wicked right before he busted out laughing.

  I pulled a double. I’d never heard him laugh twice in one day, not even twice in a week. And after a month of brooding alone in his family’s beach house after quitting his job, I, Roberta Layne, made Jonathan Spencer laugh two times in as many minutes.

  Sweet Jesus.

  My heart soared.

  I was already enamored but now I was addicted.

  No other man would ever do.

  It was Jonny Spencer all the way.

  5

  Jonny sat on the side of the bed and forced himself not to allow his eyes to wander. They wanted to, really, fucking wanted to. He’d had many fantasies about this very scenario or variations thereof—the one constant was Bobby. It was always Bobby in his bed—dressed, undressed, in her bra and panties, in just her panties, alternately in just her bra. Since the day he’d met her all other women had faded, no one else would do.

  And now there she was; Bobby in his bed, complaining he owed her another orgasm. Like that was a hardship.

  Peaches and vanilla and sex.

  Now that the sharp edge was off, he’d take her in his bed, nice and slow.

  “Should I serve that up now or would you like dinner first?”

  “Umm.” Bobby tapped her chin and looked him over. “That depends, can you cook?”

  Christ. Cute.

  “You’re gonna have to roll the dice and take a gamble,” Jonny teased.

  “Feed me.”

  “So, you think I can cook?”

  “Well, I know you didn’t get that body eating drive-thru hamburgers and Procs. I’m thinking it’s a safe bet your cooking is at least passable.”

  No, not cute. Goddamn adorable.

  Unable to stop himself, Jonny’s hand traced the line of her collarbone. The tip of his finger dipped into the hollow of her throat then moved down between her breasts.

  “Next round this comes off.”

  He felt her shiver and smiled.

  “Does that mean the next round your clothes come off, too?”

  “If you want me naked, all you need to do is ask.”

  “I want you naked,” she rushed out.

  “You’re gonna have to wait until after I grill our steaks. Wouldn’t want to scare the renters next door.”

  “I don’t know; they leave a review on Yelp about the hot guy next door who grills in the buff, the place might be booked solid for the next year.”

  Jonny couldn’t stop the rumble of laughter if he’d tried. Then again he didn’t bother to stop it. He’d long ago discovered that when Bobby turned up the wit she was damn funny. He also knew she worked at it, did whatever she could to draw it out of him. It was normally after she’d made him smile or laugh he retreated, not allowing himself to fully enjoy the moment.

  It was the only way he’d been able to keep control of his sanity. He wasn’t good enough for her. He knew it then and he knew it now. But he no longer had the will to fight her appeal. He’d warned her repeatedly but she always stood by him. Always came back and tried to get a smile. Never wavered when he needed support. And she gave as good as she got, going toe-to-toe with him when he was being an ass.

  Not wanting to do it, but knowing he needed to, Jonny cupped her cheek and held her eyes.

  “I need you to be serious for a moment and tell me you’re okay.”

  “I’m okay.”

  Okay, no, too quick.

  “No, Bobby, I need you to really think. I’m not just asking if your body’s okay. I’m asking if you’re okay with what happened.”

  Everything about her softened before she answered, “I’m okay with everything that happened.”

  “I was an asshole.”

  She rolled her eyes to the ceiling and when they dropped down she smirked.

  “I can handle you being an asshole.”

  “Normally I’d agree. But you putting me in my place when I’m being a dick and me taking you against a wall after I said some shitty things to you are two very different things.”

  Bobby’s smile died and Jonny's heart rate ticked up. It wasn’t that she looked pissed but she didn’t look happy.

  “I’m gonna break this down for you,” she started. “And I’m only telling you this because we had unprotected sex.” Oh, fuck, that tick in his heart rate spiked. “I haven’t had sex in…oh, I don’t know, like nine years—give or take.”

  Jonny did a slow blink, then another as he tried to process her admission. He believed her, he just couldn’t comprehend how it was possible. Bobby was gorgeous, smart, funny, sexy as all get-out, she dressed great, she had a great personality. The full package
. From the moment Jonny had met her, he’d been dreading the day some asshole swooped in and stole her away.

  “I’m telling you that so you know I’m safe. I’m on the pill; not for birth control obviously, but having your period while on tour is the pits. When Evie quit touring, I never stopped taking it. I’m telling you that so you won’t be concerned about a little Jonny running around.”

  Why did the thought of a little Jonny running around not freak him out?

  “As far as the rest, I’ve made no secret how I feel about you. I’ve found life is too short for bullshit. I tell the truth and I expect honesty in return. So, Jonny, when I tell you I’m okay with everything that happened, what I mean is, I’m really freaking good. So, the question is, are you okay?”

  Jonny wanted to dismiss Bobby’s question completely, or maybe turn the table with an off-handed joke or inappropriate comment about just how good he felt. But he owed her the same honesty she’d given him.

  He decided on what seemed to be that day’s refrain. “You should’ve walked away.”

  “Jon—”

  With a shake of his head, he silenced her rebuttal.

  “Straight up, Bobby, you should’ve and we both know it. But you didn’t; you made your decision and you stayed.”

  “Stop saying that,” Bobby groused.

  Her snippy, irritable tone made Jonny smile. Something else about Bobby Layne—she was fiercely protective over those she cared about and he’d long ago learn she cared about him. And if he was reading her right, she cared deeply.

  An hour ago, that knowledge would’ve pissed him off. Jonny was a lot of things, stupid was not one of them. He knew she deserved better than him. But now that she was there, in his bed, practically naked and totally comfortable—trusting, open, honest—her care and concern humbled him.

  He also wasn’t giving it back.

  “I’m fucked-up, baby,” he gently reminded her. “There’s a lot you don’t know.”

  “No shit?” she deadpanned. “There’s also a lot you don’t know about me, that’s what the getting-to-know-you phase is for.”

  Goddamn adorable. Way too good for him.

  “No, Bobby, what I’m saying is, you stayed. The consequence of that is, I’m not letting you go. I’ve held back for as long as I could. Twice I almost gave in. Twice I needed you so badly I was ready to throw out my good intentions. I want to protect you even if I’m protecting you from me. Do you understand, I’m not letting go? You’re mine.”

  A sly, sexy smile pulled at her lips and Jonny braced.

  “But you haven’t even kissed me.”

  The chuckle was involuntary and it should’ve scared the hell out of him. It was so easy to laugh when Bobby was around. But he couldn’t find it in him to hide behind his mountain of troubles. And they were his, even if the foundation had started with his father. His very dead father whose life had been snuffed out by his own flesh and blood. The first of so many secrets that had buried him under lies and deceit until one day Jonny had told them so many times he, too, believed them like the rest of the community.

  “Two things.” Jonny paused to trace the outline of her bottom lip with the pad of his thumb. He waited until Bobby smiled before he continued. “I’ve wanted to kiss you since the day I met you at Genevieve’s uncle’s house and you ranted long and loud about Genevieve’s record label lying about the bodyguard they hired. You stood next to your girl, squared your shoulders, and prepared for battle. In less than five minutes, I knew all I needed to know about you. You’re the most loyal, honest, protective woman I know and you showed me that within minutes of meeting you. You also didn’t mind sharing in a room full of people you thought I was hot. Which was damn good because I thought then and I still think it today, you’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.”

  “I didn’t say you were hot,” Bobby protested.

  “Okay.”

  “I didn’t.”

  “Okay, I’m agreeing with you, you didn’t say I was hot,” Jonny mocked.

  A wealth of satisfaction rolled through Jonny when Bobby huffed, “Whatever. What’s the second thing?”

  Right, there’d been something else Jonny needed her to understand.

  “This isn’t about sex.”

  “Well, that’s disappointing. I was hoping now that the seal was broken I’d have more than BOB to keep me company.”

  Jonny watched as pink bloomed on Bobby’s cheeks but she didn’t attempt to backpedal or cover her slip. Though, Bobby being Bobby, it might not have been a slip up at all.

  “Should I be jealous of BOB?” Jonny teased.

  “I can’t answer that yet. Judging by your first performance I’d say no. But you could be a one-hit-wonder and BOB has three speeds. So…”

  Bobby let her statement hang and light Jonny’s chest—warm and bright, it seared through his heart. A supernova of emotions so intense that by the time his shoulders shook with hilarity he was fairly certain instead of the sound being cheerful, it was an uproar of pain.

  He hadn’t felt that carefree and optimistic since before his brother had come to live with him. One day Jonny was a happy five-year-old, then everything had gone to shit. It happened shockingly fast. One night his mother had tucked him into bed, the picture of maternal perfection and by dinnertime the next day the mother he’d known was gone. Bitterness and betrayal had settled over the Spencers.

  “Lucky for you, I have more than three speeds. I’ve also got a mouth and fingers.” Jonny winked and got up. When he was on his feet, he grabbed the edge of the comforter and covered Bobby. “There are towels in the bathroom and I’ll bring in your clothes before I start the grill.”

  “You’re a strange man, Jonny Spencer.”

  “Why’s that?”

  “Well, for starters I’m in your bed pretty much naked and you haven’t looked or touched. You still haven’t kissed me. You’ve said I’m yours, which I assume that’s macho, alpha talk for I’m now your girlfriend. And now you’re getting up to go fire up the barbeque like you didn’t just rock my world.”

  “It was the second orgasm, wasn’t it?”

  “I’m being serious.”

  Bobby’s brow pinched as she stared up at him unable to hide her concern.

  Trusting. Open. Honest.

  His Bobby.

  “I’m trying to be a gentleman,” Jonny started. As he knew she would, Bobby huffed and narrowed her eyes. Time for honesty. “I haven’t kissed you because when I do, the kiss is going to lead to me doing other things to you in this bed. Which was where our first time together should’ve been. But I lost control. Out there in the living room, I didn’t want to kiss you, I wanted to fuck you. I wanted to give in to months’ worth of pent-up sexual frustration and I didn’t want our first kiss to be tainted with rough, angry wall-sex. I was an asshole. Now, I’m trying to be a gentleman. Be what you need. I want to feed you, hear about what you’ve been doing the last month, then later when I bring you back here I’m taking my time. I’m going to give you what I should’ve given you the first time. And to finish, you’re mine. You can take that to mean anything you want it to mean. But what it means to me is you are mine in every way I can have you. I’m done fighting my feelings for you. I’m done trying to shield you from the dysfunction that is my life. The secrets and lies and failures. You stayed, you want it, it’s yours. All of it, all of me. I have to trust you’re strong enough to wade through all the ugly shit you’ll learn because I’m done pretending.”

  “I want all of it. All of you.”

  “That’s good because as I said, you stayed so it’s yours.”

  “And what about you? Are you ready to take on all the ugly in my life?”

  “Baby, there isn’t anything I wouldn’t do for you.”

  And with that, Jonny left the room. There was only so much he could take. And it wasn’t the avows of devotion that had done him in. He could do that all day, and over the next few days, while he kept her holed-up at the beach house,
he planned on giving it all to her.

  It was the beautiful woman in his bed, the one he’d dreamt of, the scent of peaches and vanilla filling his nostrils, the sight of her full breasts encased in black lace, the knowledge she wasn’t wearing panties and she’d still be slick from his release that made it nearly impossible to be the gentleman he claimed to be.

  Bobby was finally his.

  No more hiding.

  No more pretending he wasn’t in love.

  Now he’d pray she was strong enough to stay once she learned the truth.

  6

  “Nine-point-five,” I declared and set my fork down.

  Jonny’s eyes hit my empty plate and he smiled.

  “Nine-point-five? You licked the plate clean.”

  I had not licked it clean, I had some manners after all. Not that I’d learned proper table etiquette back home in Kentucky. My daddy and brother weren’t real big on decorum, civility, or politeness. Dinnertime around the Layne table was a free-for-all. That was if a meal was put on the table. Most of the time EJ and I were left to scrounge together whatever we could find. Daddy also wasn’t big on being a father. Like my mother, Elmer made it clear his children weren’t going to stop him from being the man he wanted to be—which was a low-class, common criminal. He didn’t even have it in him to be big-time. Not Elmer, he was too lazy for that.

  My life growing up was so stereotypical it was sad. A hillbilly from the backwoods, living in a rundown house, complete with a rickety porch with a swing and a still not far from the house. The smell of fermenting corn mash was so familiar I could sniff it out the way most people could smell a KFC from miles away.

  “Babe?” Jonny called, pulling me from thoughts of a childhood full of nothing that was worth a damn.

  “I didn’t lick my plate clean,” I told him. “And I’m deducting half a point because you put pants on.”

  Not that his pants had been off. Nope, not his, just mine.