Chapter 15
15
I parked the ATV at the Whispering Pines and ushered Marlowe inside. Gretchen took one look at Marlowe and rushed out from behind the reception desk.
“What’s wrong?”
“Marlowe got run off the road, and her dog just went through a tough surgery and is going to need to stay at the animal hospital for a week.”
“Oh, honey.” She looked at Marlowe, then stepped closer to her but hesitated. It was clear she wanted to hug her, but unsure if Marlowe wanted one from her.
“I could sure use a hug,” she told Gretchen. Gretchen pulled her into her arms.
“I’m so sorry. Come into the restaurant. Let’s get you something to eat.”
I’d eaten there once, but the prices were high and the portions were small. That was the reason I always ate in town or nuked something that I’d bought at Roger’s supermarket. Gretchen ushered us both toward the restaurant, up to the hostess desk. “Matthew, give them a booth, and their bill is on the house.”
Matthew nodded.
“This way.”
Soon we were ensconced in a private booth, with ice water and a big basket of bread with three different kinds of spreads to put on it, but no butter. Weird.
Marlowe moved closer to me. Not quite touching, but closer.
I put my arm around her shoulder and closed the gap. Then a waiter came up to announce the specials. After the steak and baked potato, I wasn’t all that hungry, so I ordered soup and salad. Marlowe did the same.
“Before you place the order with the kitchen, can you come back in five minutes?” I asked the server.
“Sure,” he said.
Marlowe looked perplexed.
“Sweets, I already had a steak and baked potato for lunch, so I’m not all that hungry, that’s why I didn’t order much. Are you sure a salad and soup is all you want?”
Marlowe frowned, then blew out a breath.
“Kai, that’s nice that you’re asking, but I know my own mind. Even if I’ve probably had the second roughest day of my life, I can figure out what I want for dinner. The soup will feel good after all the stress I went through, and the salad is because I haven’t eaten a vegetable in four days, but I’ll probably just look at it. However, it’ll make me feel better that I at least ordered it.” She paused. “So, in the future, would you please not think you know better than I do about what I want?”
She said the last sentence in the sweetest voice imaginable, but she sure as hell got her point across. I couldn’t help but grin. “I hear you. I won’t do it again. Thanks for speaking up for yourself, I really appreciate knowing where I stand.”
She blew out another long breath, and that’s when I realized she’d been holding it. I kissed her temple. “Lady, you just keep getting better and better in my eyes.”
She looked surprised.
“It’s true.”
The server came back at that moment so I couldn’t follow up on that line of talk. I got the feeling that her relationship with the stalker had really done a number on her in a lot of ways.
When we were done with dinner, I asked Marlowe to wait at the table for five additional minutes while I got things from my room. I came back with my rucksack full.
“What’s that for?”
“I’m driving you back to your place and sleeping on the couch.”
“Why would you do that?”
Huh?
“Marlowe, somebody tried to kill you today. Of course I’m sleeping on your couch. Or you could sleep here in my room. But there’s only one bed, and the couch is more like a loveseat. I do want to sleep with you, but I don’t think tonight is the night, do you?”
I watched as her brown eyes turned almost black. Her body relaxed even deeper into mine, and her hand that had been resting on the table came up to my chest and started petting me.
“Tonight would be the perfect time for us to make love,” she murmured sensually.
With just those words, said with that tone of voice, I got so hard, I could hammer nails.
“Marlowe, I don’t want to take advantage of you if you’re overwrought.”
“What did I just say about you questioning my choices?”
“Oh yeah.” I couldn’t help but grin. “Well, we better get to your house fast, I’m feeling pretty needy.”
“What’s wrong with the one bed in your room here?”
She was still using her sexy voice. She needed to stop or I would never be able to walk out of here.
I thought about it. I knew what she’d said about knowing her own mind, but somebody had tried to kill her today, and her beloved dog had almost died.
Fuck!
Okay, I’d take her up to my room. I’d hold her. That’s the ticket . She needed to be held. And my damn cock would just have to get with the program.
I slid out of the seat and held out my hand so that I could help her out as well. I slipped on my rucksack so it was balanced evenly, then held her hand as we exited the restaurant. The ma?tre d gave us a smile as we left the restaurant. We were able to go to the elevators without passing reception.
“This is a wonderful room,” Marlowe exclaimed. “You have a great view of the forest.”
“It is,” I agreed. I shed the backpack and went over to where she stood next to the window. She turned around to face me, then stepped closer so that we were touching, chest to breast.
“I like your bed, too. It’s king size. Perfect.”
“I like it, too,” I muttered.
“I’d kiss you, but you’re too tall. How about if I do this?” she asked, as she reached up and slipped her arms around my neck. She put just the slightest pressure on my neck, just as she always did. She remembered that I had been injured there. Just one more thing I liked about Marlowe Jones; she remembered things like that and was always aware and considerate.
“If you do that, then I’m going to do this.” I grazed my lips over hers, just a soft brush, teasing us both. Her hands moved up, tangling in my hair, nails scraping my scalp. God, that felt good. I licked her bottom lip, and she opened. This kiss was like nothing I had ever experienced before. Gentle and needy in a way that demanded more. My tongue slowly pushed for entrance, and Marlowe sucked me inside her warmth.
I felt her body sink against me. Such a precious, subtle weight. I felt the hard peaks of her nipples scraping my chest through the layers of our clothes and as our kiss deepened I couldn’t help but wonder what the tips of her breasts would look like. Taste like.
Marlowe began to rub her tongue against mine and I was back in the moment, swirling in the sensual tempest that was Marlowe’s kiss. She broke away for air, and I took that moment to bite her lower lip. I heard a low growl, and I laughed. I wanted to sweep her up and carry her to my bed, but I couldn’t. Instead, I turned and propelled her toward the bed.
“Oh yes,” she purred. “I’ll get to see you naked.”
I closed my eyes for just a moment and realized that for the first time since all of my operations, somebody other than a medical professional was going to see my mangled flesh.
“I hope you like scars,” I teased.
“They turn me on more than tattoos.” She grinned up at me. “You show me your scars, and I’ll show you my tattoo. Deal?”
I laughed. She constantly made me laugh. I loved that.
“You first,” I said, as I pushed her to a sitting position on the side of the bed, then knelt down between her legs. Before I could even blink, she had her t-shirt over her head.
She hissed.
“Dammit.” I could see where she had been pulled back by the seatbelt. “You need ice on that bruise.” I stood up to get the laundry bag out of the closet so I could fill it with ice.
“Don’t you dare leave me. I’ll ice this after sex.”
“You’ll ice before sex.”
She grabbed my hand with both of hers. “Please, Kai. I need this. It’s more than just sex. I’m going to lose it if you don’t make love to me. I need this closeness, the feeling of being wanted.”
“Baby, you are wanted. And you’ll be just as wanted after I put ice on your bruise.”
“Just wait for a few minutes,” she urged.
I slowly smiled. “If you think this would only take a few minutes, you’ve been sleeping with the wrong men.”
She bit her bottom lip. “Man. I slept with the wrong man.”
I got what she was saying. She’d only slept with the dickwad stalker. She was right, she needed this. Ice could wait. She must have seen the decision in my eyes, because she smiled in relief.
“Can you take off your shirt now?”
I nodded, then pulled off my tee.
I waited for her to say something.
“You’re more beautiful than I imagined.”
I thought she was bullshitting me, until I saw her eyes roam over my chest and abs like I was ice cream on a hot day. I knelt back down and pulled off her shoes and socks, then pulled off her jeans and panties. That left her in just her bra.
“Is it going to hurt if I take off your bra?” I didn’t know if it would feel better or worse with the bruising.
“Are you going to touch my breasts if you take off my bra?”
“Definitely.”
“Then I’ll feel much better if you take it off.” The pleasure was evident in her tone.
I reached behind her and unclasped her bra, then slowly lowered the straps and pulled down the cups of her bra until I pulled it off. She sighed.
“It feels better now.”
“That’s good, Honey.”
The hungry look in her eyes would have brought me to my knees if I hadn’t already been on them.
“Now you take off the rest of your clothes,” she demanded.
“Not yet. I like it just where I am.”
“But—”
I didn’t let her continue, I just leaned and licked. She tried to close her legs, but I pushed them open even farther.
“Kai,” she wailed.
I was getting somewhere.
I parted the lips of her sex and caught a glimpse of heaven. She glistened with desire, and I hadn’t even really started. I lapped up her slick essence, and it was the best thing I had ever tasted. Then I used my whiskers to abrade her sensitive flesh and she yelled out my name even louder.
I lifted up. “Do you like that?”
“Yes. God, yes. Again.”
I grinned and brushed my chin against her clit. This time when she called my name, it was muffled. I looked up and saw she had her hand over her mouth. I used my thumb to swirl circles around her sensitive flesh. Her whimpers were music to my ears.
I was aching to get inside her, but giving her pleasure was much more important.
“Kai, I’m close.” Her words were a strained whisper.
Slowly I inserted a finger inside her. I looked up to see her head shaking side to side.
“Too much,” she said. Then she added, “Don’t stop.”
I found that perfect spot and rubbed it as my thumb continued to circle her clit. Now she was just chanting don’t stop . I was breaking out in a sweat. I needed to give her this. I needed to watch her come.
I swirled faster, and then inserted a second finger. I could see how close she was. It was beautiful.
“Now, Marlowe. Now.”
“Yes,” she moaned. “Yes.”
She bucked upward. Her channel clamped down on my fingers.
Her cries didn’t stop as she twisted back and forth.
I knelt up high and looked at her face. She had never looked more beautiful.