A Heart's Endeavor Read online

  The rest of the evening flew by in a blur and soon it was time to leave. Jack drove her home, kissed her goodnight, and made her promise to call him if they ran into any kind of trouble. A part of Mel had wanted Jack to forbid her to go, but another part was happy that he didn’t hold her back from experiencing new things. With a heavy heart she went inside the house and locked the door at his orders. She peeked out the window until his Durango was out of sight.

  * * * *

  Mel tried to hang back from the crowd of women at the entrance to the Blue Moose, but Stacy and Jen pushed her on ahead. She seriously had to have a talk with those two about respect and old people. The hot guy at the door insisted on checking Mel’s ID. The others left her standing there and went on inside. Mel hadn’t taken him seriously and was shocked when he stepped directly in front of her. Flustered at the sight of his bare chest so close to her face, she lowered her head and fished inside her purse for her driver’s license. He escorted her inside and the girls laughed when she hurried to the table as if the devil himself was after her.

  Mel sipped a soda while the other girls hit the hard stuff right off the bat. This was her first time in a strip club so she concentrated on her drink instead of all the bare male flesh circling the tables. Glistening chests and bulging biceps were everywhere. The girls were screaming and yelling. Jen motioned to a guy wearing a G-string. Mel’s belly clenched. Hell, he was coming over to their table. He stabbed his barely covered penis in her face. Stacy flashed a twenty dollar bill at a guy dressed like a cop. The chorus of ooohhs and awwws was deafening. Mel mumbled something about going to the ladies room, but her plan to escape was thwarted. The girls had guessed her intention and formed a tight circle around her. Not knowing where to place her hands, she clutched the edge of her seat while the ‘cop’ gave her a lap dance.

  Mel finally relaxed and enjoyed watching the girls carry on like a pack of wild dogs after a bone. It was all done in fun, and she made sure they got home safe and sound. She laughingly refused Stacy’s offer of hitting the club again sometime soon. She may have had a good time after the initial teasing, but the only man she wanted to see naked was Jack.

  It was well after two in the morning when she got home, but she was too wound up to sleep. She made herself a cup of coffee and sat down at the kitchen table.

  She thought about Mike and how happy they had been during the first five years of their marriage. She swore she wouldn’t marry a cold man like her father, but she had done just that. Her dad had been fairly tolerable when everything was going his way, but as soon something went haywire he would become downright nasty and insulting. Mike had reacted in the same way, and Mel couldn’t understand why she hadn’t noticed it before. He hadn’t been a man that showed emotion. She had mentioned Mike’s lack of sentiment to her mother one day and received a lecture. Helena had insisted that as long as a man worked hard and provided for his family silly words of love and outward displays of affection weren’t needed.

  Mel sipped her coffee. If she had talked to someone about her depression she might have been able to help herself sooner. Her doctor had suggested that she join a support group with other people who suffered from the same illness, but Mike insisted that he didn’t have the time to play taxi driver. Was it possible that his constant nagging about needing pills just to make it through the day had prevented her from accepting her illness and moving forward? She had already made some headway by getting a job. She was…happy. Now, could she strike up enough courage to tell Jack that she had depression? Would he laugh at her? Would he think her an impossible case or find her lacking because she had to take a pill every day? Mel rubbed at the spot between her eyes. All this thinking was giving her a headache. Sooner or later, she’d have to tell Jack. It wasn’t fair to him to keep her illness a secret.

  * * * *

  The following day was sunny and pleasant. Good weather to tackle yard work. Mel pulled the lawn mower out of the small shed beside the house and began cutting the grass. The sunshine on her face felt good and she hummed a little ditty as she worked. Her second turn around her small front lawn was met by a cruiser pulling into the driveway. She flipped the key to the self-propelled lawn mower and tried not to dwell on her unkempt appearance. Cut-off denims a hair too short hugged her ass and a red tank top covered her bra-less breasts.

  Jim was with Jack, and both men wore the usual wraparound sunglasses. Mel didn’t have to guess as to where their eyes were riveted. She knew her nipples were on high beam mode. Just thinking about Jack did that to her. And damn she had been thinking about him. It seemed she couldn’t keep her mind on anything else. She released the handle of the lawn mower and propped a sneaker clad foot on the red painted base. She took her time flicking a clump of grass from her shoe. She needed to gather her wits.

  Jack took off his sunglasses. “I could have cut the grass.”

  Mel blinked. “I can cut my own grass, Jack. I’ve been doing it for years.” She cocked her head jauntily to the side and propped one hand on her hip. “Surprise, I can even take my own garbage out to the end of the driveway.” She heard a chuckle coming from the passenger’s side. Jim saw the humor in everything, but not Jack. Her heart thumped at his scowl.

  “That sassy mouth of yours is going to get you into trouble, young lady.”

  Knowing she’d probably rattle him some more by ignoring his threat, Mel reached down to casually knock a clump of grass off her other sneaker. “It’s okay,” she replied flippantly. “After my husband died the men on my street offered to give me a hand whenever I needed help.”

  She may have thought him angry before, but it was nothing compared to now. He hauled his ass out of the police cruiser and dwarfed her five foot seven frame. She gulped and backed up a step.

  “I just bet they’d like to give you a hand.” He leaned his body close to hers, forcing her to take another step backward, and then another, until she found herself pressed against the shed. “You’ll feel the flat of mine on your sexy little ass if I find out you asked someone else for help instead of coming to me.” He was so close. A little closer and she’d be able to rub her pussy against his hard thigh.

  Jack’s nostrils flared. Mel could smell the scent of her arousal and knew without a doubt that Jack did too. He grinned, and it was naughty, downright devilish. “I’m working until ten. I’d like to see you tonight.”

  Mel’s heart pounded erratically. Dear God, she hoped he didn’t change out of his uniform. Scratch that. He’d be sexy hot in anything he wore. “Okay,” she replied. She sucked in a mouthful of air. “I’ll leave the door unlocked.”

  He surprised her by grasping her chin between his thumb and forefinger, holding her gaze steady with his own. “No, you won’t. I’ll call you when I’m in the driveway and only then do you unlock the door.” His eyes narrowed into tiny slits of green. “Is that understood?”

  Jack’s blatant authority made her nipples ache, and the pulse between her legs pounded in rhythm with her heart. Crap. Some level of independence needed to be brought to his attention. She thrust out her chin in what she hoped was clear defiance.

  A dark brow arched. “Aw, come now, sweetheart. You’re not thinking of disobeying me, are you?”

  Mel’s temper took hold of her common sense. Who did he think he was bossing her around? She propped her hands on her hips and stood up straighter. Her beasts brushed against his wide chest and she stifled a moan. Her head insisted she put Jack in his place, but her body was pliant to his commands.

  “For crying out loud, Jack, I’m a grown woman. If I want to keep my door unlocked, I will.” There, that should set him straight.

  Mel held her breath while Jack studied her for a moment. Mike had berated her every time she lost her temper. A few moments of silence passed and Mel shifted from one foot to the other. Great, she may have blown it this time.

  Instead of admonishing her, he smiled that sexy smile. “Okay, don’t lock the door.” He wore his usual calm, cool façade. “But reme
mber, your butt will suffer the consequences.”

  A thrill of apprehension coupled with anticipation raced down Mel’s spine. Could she push him and see exactly what he’d do? Did she want to? Hell yeah.

  Jack softened his stance and tucked a strand of hair behind her ears. “I’m sorry, honey. But I see so much ugliness out there. Lock the door for my peace of mind, okay?” Mel relented with a smile, and he chucked her under the chin. “That’s my girl.”

  She waved until the cruiser was out of sight before picking up where she had left off. After another hour of yard work she went back inside the house and jumped in the shower. She threw on a pair of pajamas and ate a light supper. There was nothing on television and she soon fell fast asleep.

  * * * *

  Mel groaned and fumbled for the light switch. She looked at the time. She had been asleep for three hours. Great, now she’d be up for the rest of the night. But that might be a good thing. Maybe Jack would have something in mind to keep her occupied. Since their tryst in the driveway he hadn’t touched her except to hold her hand or give her a kiss. He said he would take things slow. Well, she’d had enough of slow.

  She changed from her Tweety pajamas into a yellow sundress. At fifteen minutes past ten she heard a sharp rap on her door. She peered through the glass and smiled before she turned the lock. Jack looked downright delicious in a pair of tight jeans. He smelled of Old Spice and male. Mel longed to bury her nose in the open V of his light gray short sleeve shirt and inhale her brains out.

  He wore a huge grin. “Good girl. You locked the door.”

  Mel ignored the remark and offered him a cup of coffee. He sat down at the table, and she could feel the heat of his stare as she moved around the kitchen.

  “I was afraid I’d have to discipline you.”

  Mel swung around and planted her fists on her hips. “Really, Jack. This talk about spanking me is getting old.” Who was she kidding? The urge to lie across his hard thighs and let him do whatever he wanted was overwhelming.

  “I like your temper,” he said.

  That comment threw her for a loop. “You do?” Mel set two cups of coffee on the table and handed him the milk. She lowered herself into the chair next to him and reached for the sugar bowl.

  Jack refused her offer of the sweetener and leaned closer. She was conscious of the heat radiating from his body. “You bet. Didn’t your husband ever fire you up on purpose just so he could spank you when you lost your temper?”

  Mel had taken a sip of coffee and nearly choked. “Excuse me?” She grabbed a napkin from the wooden rooster-shaped napkin holder on the table and slapped it to her mouth. Mike may have fired her up, but he hadn’t spanked her. He’d look at her in disgust and tell her to take a chill pill. Mel learned quickly to hide her emotions so she wouldn’t have to listen to his lectures. “No,” she replied once her coffee had settled in her stomach. “Mike hated when I showed any sign of a temper, but in all our years of marriage, he never spanked me. I’m not a child, after all.”

  Jack leaned back in his chair and stretched his legs. “Some women enjoy a spanking. A spanking can be highly erotic for a woman if done properly.” He shifted forward once again. “I would so much like to show you, Melanie Manning.”

  Mel’s heart skipped a beat. Hell, it skipped two. Now what?

  Jack rose to his feet. “Why don’t we go into the living room and relax a little? We can talk and get to know each other a bit more.”

  Mel set the cups in the sink and followed him into the living room. He plopped down on the couch and patted the cushioned seat. She bit her bottom lip and stared at his hands.

  “Come on, I promised we’d take it slow.”

  Mel settled next to Jack and reached for the remote. It wasn’t long before she was pulled close to his powerful body as they watched an episode of Criminal Minds. His fingers lightly caressed the back of her neck, sending goose bumps straight to her hairline.

  “I thought you promised to take it slow,” Mel admonished half-heartedly. Her nipples tightened painfully. She needed his mouth on her. She needed to feel the hardness of his body lying on top of hers.

  Jack licked the shell of her ear. “I lied.”

  Mel’s entire body relaxed as he massaged the back of her neck. His other hand brushed her belly and settled on her hip. Mel held her breath. If she moved a wee bit to her right, his thumb would slip to exactly where she wanted his touch the most.

  She gasped when he suckled her earlobe. That was it. She couldn’t take this closeness anymore and not feel his big hands all over her body. Mel shifted in his arms and wrapped her arms around his neck. She pulled him down and planted a kiss on his mouth. Lips connected and tongues dueled. She swung one leg over his hips and straddled his lap. Her breasts pressed against his massive chest. His huge erection probed between her wide-opened legs. They mimicked the sex act with hips and tongues.

  Jack pulled his mouth away and cupped her face. He stared into her eyes for the longest time before slamming his mouth onto hers again in an earth-shattering kiss. He kissed her eyelids, her cheeks, and jaw. Moving further down, he nibbled on her collarbone. He ran his tongue up her throat and captured her mouth once again. He thrust and parried with her tongue and then sucked it into his mouth. With finesse, she was rolled over onto her back and pinned beneath his hard body. He kissed a trail alongside her neck, over her throat, and up to one ear and then the other.

  Cool air assaulted her breasts. Jack suckled each nipple in turn. He tugged her dress further so it lay bunched at her waist. His licked her belly, then moved downward and delved into her naval. Soon, he was licking her pussy through her wet panties. The silken material triggered a friction so hot and intense that Mel bucked against his mouth.

  She heard a loud ripping sound and gasped when his mouth covered her bare pussy. Dear Lord, the man had ripped her panties from her body. This dominant side of Jack had her panting for more of his rough handling. He dropped kisses along her inner thighs, growled, and covered the flesh between her legs with his mouth. Mel screamed and dug her fingernails into his shoulders. She rocked her pussy and shamelessly rode his face as wave upon wave of an incredible orgasm overtook her. She swore her toes curled.

  Jack moved back up her body and rested his forehead against hers. She kissed him frantically and tasted herself on his lips. Mel reached between their bodies and stroked his cock. She licked her lips.

  “Baby, you’re looking to have a cock shoved down your throat.”

  Mel gently pushed at his chest and dropped to the floor on both knees. “I want you deep in my throat while I suck you off.” Her hands shook slightly as she slowly unbuckled his leather belt. She carefully rasped his zipper down inch by agonizing inch.

  Mel’s mouth went dry at the erection tenting his white boxers. The man had to be sporting at least nine inches. Moisture trailed down the inside of her thighs. She was so ready for this. For him. The mere thought of taking his hard male flesh into her mouth had her on the verge of another orgasm.

  Jack arched upward and pushed his boxers to his feet. His cock sprang free amidst a cluster of dark hair. Mel’s heart raced. He was so big, so hard, and oh-so-mouthwatering she couldn’t wait to wrap her lips around him. Savoring his musky scent, she leaned forward and tongued his cockhead, licking away the drop of fluid seeping from the tiny slit. He tasted delicious, and she dove in for another nibble. Jack’s slow hiss boasted Mel’s self-esteem. She hadn’t felt this confident in her ability to please a man in years. His praise for her prowess urged her to take him fully into her mouth until the hairs on his groin tickled her nose. She sucked him greedily as if he was a lollipop.

  The thought of taking a man’s cock inside her mouth had always turned her off. She hated it when Mike would force her to go down on him. Why did it feel so natural with Jack?

  Mel lashed him with her tongue a few more times then drew back to look at what her loving had done to him. The foreskin on his cockhead was stretched taut and looked ready
to pop.

  “God, woman, your mouth is incredible.”

  Mel licked his cock from base to tip and cleaned the milky white fluid seeping from his cockhead. Scooting closer, she ran her fingers down his slick, muscled arms and gripped his hands. She curled her fingers around his wrists and lifted his hands to her head. Jack cupped her jaw and forced her mouth to open wider.

  “Are you okay with me being a little rough?”

  Mel deep-throated him and hoped that was answer enough. Hell, she was ecstatic.

  Jack’s cock hit the back of her throat and she nearly gagged. She hollowed her cheeks and milked his cock while rolling her tongue under his shaft. Her head bobbed up and down while she worked him. She tongued the thick vein running alongside his shaft and gently squeezed his tight balls. Mel nipped at the wide mushroom head before she took him fully into her mouth once again. She loved the salty taste of him.

  “That’s it, baby. Suck my dick. Take it all.” His hips pumped her face. “I’m going to come, sweetheart. Pull away and I’ll finish it.”

  But Mel kept sucking. Her upper arms were grabbed in a vise-like grip and she whimpered. No amount of pulling was going to take away her treat. She wriggled out of his hold and laid both hands on his chest. She pushed him against the back of the couch. She wanted Jack to spill his come into her mouth. Her sucking became more frantic at the thought of tasting his seed. Her groan matched his as a burst of hot semen coated her tongue and slid down the back of her throat.

  Chapter 7

  “Honey, that was incredible.”

  Mel licked the inside of Jack’s thigh and smiled when he cursed and scooped her up from the floor.

  “God, woman what you did to me should be freakin’ illegal.” He sat her on his lap and held her tight.