“And I’m just getting started.” Brook Lynn bent over and slowly lifted her upper body, her gaze never leaving Jase. She heard an erotic melody in her head, though no music played, and moved to it. Bump, bump...griiind. Her hands roved over her curves, kneaded her breasts.

“Come here,” he rasped. “Please, angel. I need you.”

She didn’t have the strength to resist. She crawled up the bed, rhythmically shimmying closer and closer to his erection before retreating. Another groan rose from him. On her knees, she continued to move her hips, sliding her hands down...down...between her legs.

“Let me touch,” he rasped. “I need to touch.”

Roll...roll...she worked her way around, so that he once again had a backside view. Roll...roll...

“Angel, please.” He leaned forward, warm breath fanning down her spine. His tongue flicked out, stroking over her nape, and the contact sent shivers through her body.

“How many points have I gained now?” she asked, heart drumming a wild staccato in her chest.

“All of them.”

She glanced over her shoulder. His features were taut, the fine lines around his eyes more noticeable, his lips pulled tight. A bead of sweat trickled down his temple. Knowing she affected him so strongly empowered her, and she tangled her fingers in her hair, raised her arms high in the air. She swayed her hips left, right, all the way around, always rubbing against him, as her hair fell back into place.

The beat in her head quickened, and so did her motions. Faster and faster, hardness to softness, flesh against flesh. Her breaths came faster, too. Her heartbeat. A moan from her. A groan from him.

Faster...faster... Her every nerve ending ached, tingling.

“Brook Lynn, you have to stop. I have to have you.” His palms gripped her waist. He pushed her forward, to her hands and knees, and positioned himself behind her. Her hair fell over one shoulder, leaving the other bare.

The implants!

She stiffened, but he leaned forward and kissed the shell of her ear, like he’d done before, careful not to put any pressure on the implant itself, and slowly she relaxed. He didn’t mind the bulky plastic and flashing lights, she realized. Didn’t think she was a Frankenlynn freak.

“Please, angel. You are so beautiful,” he whispered. “So damn perfect in every way.”

The words titillated her more than his kiss, more than his touch. “Inside me,” she said, her body aching as if it had never been filled. “Now.”

“I’m going to make you feel so good, angel.”

And he did.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

BROOK LYNN WOKE up bright and early—and alone. The spot where Jase had lain was no longer warm, which meant he’d been gone for a while. His clothes were no longer scattered across her floor, either.

She pulled on a robe and checked the rest of the house. No sign of him. She checked the driveway, only to remember he’d parked his car down the street and she wouldn’t have seen it even if he’d been here.

It didn’t matter, really. He was gone, no question.

Should have expected this.

And it was probably for the best. The thought of Jase having breakfast with her and her sister bothered her.

Dang it. She would have to get over that. She wanted them both in her life and—

Sweet! A wealth of happiness hit her when she spotted a note on the kitchen table.

Dude. Thought I’d be safe coming home after midnight, but noooooooo. Could you have been ANY louder? Next time Jase comes over I’m staying with Sunny. Love, Queen JK (Former Miss Strawberry or not, I’m still royalty.)

Her cheeks burned with embarrassment and mounting anger. Not with her sister, but with Jase. She’d expected the note to be from him, and now, knowing it wasn’t, she realized she deserved a note, at the very least.

After his bout of jealousy and his desire to spend the night with her, well...I thought I was different to him.

Clearly, she’d thought wrong.

She showered and dressed for work, doing nothing special with her appearance. No makeup. Not styling her hair. Clothes: a ratty T-shirt that read Zombies Hate Fast Food and jean shorts. Jase could suck it.

As she drove to his house, a car she didn’t recognize pulled up behind her, riding too close to her bumper. No big deal, until the car followed her for a pretty good distance, taking the turns she took, slowing when she slowed. But...she had to be mistaken. Why follow her? Frowning, she took a turn she didn’t need to make, and sure enough, the four-door sedan with the tinted windows stayed right on her tail. Not just right on her tail, but actually giving it a light tap.

A thousand horror stories seemed to play through her mind at once. Namely: a serial killer had targeted her as his next victim and purposely causing car wrecks was his MO. No way she’d stop to exchange insurance info with the driver. Heart speeding up, she debated between leading a potential psycho to Jase—and putting him in danger—or making the longer journey to the sheriff’s office.

Another tap made her decision for her. The sheriff. Definitely the sheriff. But as she took the next turn, the car honked and sped around her, its tires squealing.

She released a relieved breath and made a mental note to be on the lookout for the sedan next time she was out and about. Being in a hurry was no excuse for such aggressive driving.

She backtracked, finally heading into the acreage. By the time she arrived, her shaking had stopped, at least. “Jase,” she called as she stepped through the door.

“He’s not here,” West said.