A Reason to Stay (Oak Hollow) by June Stevens, DJ Westerfield Page B

stop. In one fluid movement he’d pulled her to him and his mouth was on hers before she could protest. The kiss was hard and punishing, yet full of desire. Even with the cold rain soaking her and chilling her to the bone, Jake's kiss was igniting a fire in her blood. Despite herself, she sank into him, letting his tongue plunder her mouth, giving him what he sought. Then he pulled back.
    Thwack!
    Her hand sailed across his face so hard her palm stung. Fury contorted his features. "Damn it, Ellie."
    Before she had a chance to register what was happening, Jake bent and grabbed her, throwing her over his shoulder in a fireman’s carry. Ellie screamed and beat his back with her fists, but he ignored her and headed for the house.
    This was twice he’d carried her in as many days. If she weren’t so pissed off she would have thought it to be sexy as hell. But she was pissed, and as he made his way inside with her and started up the stairs, she made her anger perfectly clear. She called him every dirty name she could think of, but Jake just ignored her.
    When they reached his bedroom he went in, bumping her head on the doorframe. He turned and locked the door before dumping her, wet clothes and all, unceremoniously on the bed. As soon as she hit the bed Ellie turned to scramble of the other side, but Jake was too fast for her. He grabbed her leg and jerked her back, holding her still as he straddled her and held her arms down.
    Something akin to fear crawled through Ellie. In her heart of hearts she knew Jake would never hurt her. But she’d never seen him this angry before. Well, it served him right. She was angry too. But more than that, she was hurt. The pain of his betrayal curdled in her stomach. She opened her mouth to tell him just how hurt she was, but one hand clapped over her mouth.
    "Shut up, Ellie. Now, I’m gonna take my hand off your mouth and you’re gonna lay there and listen to me. Okay?"
    Eyes wide, Ellie nodded under his hand and he moved it back to her wrist. "You idiotic little drama queen!"
    "Oh, good way to endear yourself to me. Call me names! Now get off me, you big thug!" Ellie forgot her promise to be quiet and started struggling against him again. This time he silenced her with his mouth. Even as angry as she was, his taste had a drugging effect.
    Satisfied she was sufficiently subdued; he raised his head back up.
    “Would you just listen to me? That ring is for you, you little fool!"
    Confused, Ellie stammered, "No, it wasn’t. I saw the note. It was addressed to you."
    Jake laughed. "Oh, shit, Ellie. For such a smart woman, you can really be dense sometimes. I guess that’s why I love you so much, though. Grammy gave me the ring to give to you. There was no other woman that I was in love with. Only you."
    Ellie couldn’t breathe, and she was sure it had nothing to do with Jake sitting on her chest. He loved her? Had he really said that?
    Joy flooded her. But it met with resistance in the form of her anger. She was still mad.
    "What? You love me? Then how come I had to accidentally find that damned ring?"
    "Damn it, Ellie. Why can’t you just believe me when I tell you I love you? You always have to make things so difficult." His voice was taut with barely controlled rage. "I love you, but I don’t want to hold you back. I’ve been searching for a way to tell you for nearly a year. That’s how long I’ve had that ring. Grammy knew how I felt; she said you felt the same way, but I wasn’t sure she was right."
    The anger fell from his voice, his face softening into the same emotion she’d seen on his face last night but couldn’t put a name to. "I went over it in my head a thousand times. How could I tell you I love you? If you didn’t feel the same it could ruin our friendship. But I wanted to. Then, when I’d made up my mind to do it, I couldn’t figure out how to do it. Do I just blurt it out? Damn it Ellie, I’ve never been any good at this kind of stuff."
    Ellie was