Free Homeward Bound by Kat Attalla

threatened again, and the afternoon chores awaited his return. Besides, Kate didn't seem to have her heart in it any longer.
    He thought at first that her introspection stemmed from sympathy. She liked Chloe and felt sad for what they had been through. The loneliness in her eyes and the pain that appeared to sear right through her went deeper than mere sympathy. He noticed it the day before when they drove to Clovis.
    Kate wrestled with her own demons, as cruel and unforgiving as his. Perhaps even more so, for no matter how bad it got, he always had Chloe. She mentioned a sister, but he still sensed an emptiness in her. Something was missing from her life. Or someone.
    He stopped next to the truck, and she glanced up, startled. "You want to talk about it?"
    She smiled weakly. "Not yet."
    "Feel like necking in the backseat?" He meant it as a joke and felt guilty when she took him seriously.
    She crossed her arms over her chest and turned her back to him. "That's so typically male."
    "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it."
    "I know. There is no backseat."
    She spoke the words so sincerely that it took him a second to realize she was teasing him. Whatever had been bothering her seemed to have temporarily vanished.

 
    * * * *

 
    Jake opened the door and offered her a hand. "I don't understand you, Kate."
    She stepped in and slid across the seat. "I don't understand me either. Sometimes I get sentimental and sappy, but it passes quickly and I'm told it's not contagious."
    "It's more than that. Maybe I didn't make the best first impression, but when you want to talk about it, I can be a good listener."
    He probably could be, she decided. However, she wasn't a good talker. Too many years of living with her secret had rendered her unable to open up about herself.
    Feeling the need for some fresh air, she searched for the handle to roll down the window but couldn't find one. "Is there a trick to this, Jake?"
    "Oh. Chloe broke it. Just a second." He leaned across her body to push the button for the glove compartment at the same time she reached for his hand.
    "Never mind. Just open yours, please."
    "What?"
    He raised his head, and their eyes locked. If she thought she felt warm before, the temperature rose another twenty degrees. At least her body temperature did. Her feminine instinct screamed for her to back away, but her body had a will of its own and she moved closer.
    His mouth brushed lightly over the top of her lips. One last shred of sanity told her to stop him, but his hand slid into her hair, bringing her head forward to meet his mouth again, with no resistance from her. The tip of his tongue teased the outside of her mouth, coaxing a response she couldn't suppress.
    Alarm bells in her unconscious tried to warn her, but she closed her mind to them. The purely physical feelings allowed her to forget. They didn't require thought, only reaction to a powerful sensation.
    Geography and economics flickered through her brain, but in the end, chemistry won out. She knew she shouldn't get involved with Jake, but his raw sexuality was more than she could fight. She returned his kiss with deep, hungry kisses of her own.
    Winding her arms tightly around his neck, she slid into his arms, molding her body to his. The feelings awakened set her body on fire, unleashing a passion she hadn't known she possessed.
    Jake lifted her across his lap and rested her back against the door. She used the more comfortable position to her full advantage, cuddling against his neck and nibbling on his earlobe.

 
    * * *
    His hand slipped boldly under her shirt, gliding up along her velvety smooth skin. Thankfully she wore only a silky camisole beneath her oversize sweatshirt, because he would have embarrassed himself trying to fumble with a bra catch.
    He found the soft mound and teased the nipple, already hard with excitement. She slid lower, and pressed in until his hand covered her breast completely. Her deep moan of pleasure echoed in his mind.
    She tugged at