Forty-Five
Bay
A loud whistle caused Slash to lift his head from my lap, where I’d been rubbing him while reading, and then he looked woefully back at me before he climbed down from the sofa and headed toward the door.
I hoped he didn’t have to leave again. I enjoyed his company.
He glanced back at me one more time, and I stood up, deciding to go see if I could convince Hale to let him stay. I didn’t mind taking care of him.
Another whistle, and Slash hurried off. Setting my book down, I followed behind him, although he was already out of sight by the time I made it to the hallway.
Hale had left me in here over four hours ago, and I’d gotten very involved in the book until Slash made his appearance.
There hadn’t been any naughty scenes yet, like Hale had mentioned, except for one where the heroine masturbated to thoughts of the hero in the story.
But I didn’t think that was what one would consider naughty. Although I had blushed. A little.
As I made my way down the staircase, I could hear male voices and paused, not sure I should interrupt their conversation.
I assumed it was Than since Slash was here, but I wasn’t sure.
What if they were talking about the criminal stuff?
I didn’t want to walk up on that. I’d decided perhaps it was best I left this place and Hale, never knowing what it was he did exactly.
The talking stopped, and I waited for a moment before continuing down.
When I didn’t hear any more, I hoped I hadn’t waited too long and missed Than leaving with Slash.
When I was at the bottom of the staircase, Hale appeared with a cigar between his teeth.
I didn’t like smoking, so why did I find that sexy?
“We both could use some sunshine,” Hale said. “Get your shoes on. Let’s go for a walk.”
Although a walk outside sounded nice, I wasn’t sure spending more time with him alone was a good idea.
“I, uh, thought you were going to the office,” I replied.
“Changed my mind.”
We stood there, gazes locked for several seconds. There was no harm in walking outside with him. I did want to go out. At least he was clothed.
“All right,” I agreed. “I’ll go get my shoes.”
Thankfully, my clothes had finished in the dryer, and I’d had a tank top and shorts to put on because while it was lovely out, it was also hot.
Hale led us over to a shaded path, and we walked for a while without talking. I didn’t mind the silence. It wasn’t awkward for some reason. It was…comfortable. I guessed after you bathed a man, not much was awkward after that.
His property seemed to go on for miles, and I was curious as to how much he owned, but decided against asking him. That would spark conversation. Perhaps it was better not knowing any more than I already did about him.
“Do you know much about your birth mother?” Hale asked.
That was an odd question. “Uh, not really. At least not more than what I learned from the DNA test I took.”
“You did one of those?” he asked, glancing over at me.
I nodded. “Yep. Figured it might give me some kind of—I don’t know—link to my birth parents.”
“And did it?”
“No,” I replied, remembering my disappointment.
I had been hoping for some kind of family connection.
That hadn’t been what happened. “All I found out was that my father was Scottish and had been dead for ten years, and the woman who had given birth to me and left me in the hospital while she snuck out overnight had been dead twenty years.”
“Fuck,” he muttered.
“At least I know,” I said, which was what I had told myself back then.
“No siblings or anything?”
“One. My father had another daughter. Older than me, and she lives in Edinburgh. Seems he had a family there, and I guess he was visiting the States and met my birth mother, knocked her up, and left. I don’t know details, but that is what I am assuming.”
There had been no attempt by her to contact me, and I knew that, like me, she, too, could see the connection on the ancestry link. I figured since I was the child of her father’s by blow, she wanted nothing to do with me, and I had left it at that.
“The woman who raised you,” he continued, not dwelling on the sibling thing, “you didn’t have a good relationship with her.”
I shook my head. “Nope. The last time we spoke was when the court ruled the money my mother had left to me was to go to me in full. That she wasn’t due any compensation for raising me.
She was furious and blamed me for the court costs and lawyer fees, although it was her and not me who’d caused them.
She was the one who had fought for the money left to me in a trust.”
“Sounds like a bitch,” he said.
“She was that.”
“She wasn’t married?”
I shook my head. “No.”
“And you never had a father figure?”
“No.”
“Huh.”
“What’s the huh mean?” I asked, glancing up at him.
“Just that most females I know who don’t have a father have daddy issues.”
I frowned. “What are you getting at?”
He cut his eyes toward me. “Easier to get them to spread their legs, darlin’.”
Oh. OH! “That’s a horrible thing to say!”
A deep chuckle that sent a shiver through me was his only response.
“You have a daughter. Why would you say something like that?”
He stopped walking and turned to me. “I didn’t make the rules. It’s just true. And my daughter doesn’t have daddy issues.”
He took a step toward me, and I back up, but he continued getting closer, so I took another step back until I hit the hard surface of a tree and winced.
“Easy, Snow,” he drawled, reminding me of a predator as he stared down at me.
“What are you doing?” I asked.
His gaze dropped to my mouth. “That’s a real good question,” he replied. “I’m not sure myself.”
He wasn’t sure? He had me on some path in the woods, backed up against a tree, and he wasn’t sure?
“I thi—”
Whatever I was about to say was forgotten when his fingers grazed the side of my face and sank into my hair. I watched, transfixed, as he lowered his head until the warmth from his breath heated my lips.
“Not real sure at all,” he murmured just before his mouth covered mine.
It was as if the world had fallen out from under me.
I forgot to breathe. My heart might have even stopped for a second; I wasn’t sure, but the feel of Hale’s lips against mine, followed by the brush of his tongue as he requested entrance, was an experience like no other.
He tasted of spice and tobacco while the scent of wood, earth, and leather surrounded me.
I’d been kissed many times in my life, but never had I felt as if I’d left reality and been tossed into another realm.
His hand fisted in my hair, tugging my head back as the kiss deepened, and his tenderness turned more aggressive. Excitement began to pulse through me, and my body ached in places it had never ached. Need curled inside me, and a moan I realized was mine met my ears.
No thought—other than I want more, to be closer, to exist like this with no end.
A deep growl vibrated in his chest and sent tingles between my legs.
Were kisses supposed to be like this? Was this normal and I’d just never known what I was missing?
“Open your legs for me,” Hale said, breaking the kiss. His eyes were almost black.
I shivered as he let go of the grip he had of my hair.
“Do it,” he ordered.
I did. Against the aged bark, I stood with my legs open and watched as his hand slid inside the front of my shorts and panties and went directly to the heat that he’d caused. There was no easing into me or stroking to prepare. He sank his middle finger in with one hard plunge.
“AH!” I cried out, grabbing on to his arm.
“Fuck my finger.” His words were hoarse.
I stared up at him, unsure of what that meant or what it was he was asking of me.
“Fuck it, Snow,” he growled.
I lifted my hips, causing it to sink deeper, then began to rock so that it slid in and out. He did nothing but keep it there while watching me.
“That’s it, baby. Now take two.” He shoved another one inside me, and I moaned loudly, feeling my knees go weak. “My cock is a lot bigger than that, darlin’. This tight cunt is gonna stretch so fucking pretty over it too.”
Oh God. I wanted that. I held on to his good arm, slightly aware that he was injured, but not caring too much about anything other than my pleasure. I wanted more.
“Oh GOD, yes.” My voice sounded like someone else.
“Fuck, you’re beautiful,” he said thickly. “I want you naked and riding my cock. You gonna do that for me?” he asked, pulling his fingers from me.
My body became frantic. It had been close to its peak. I let out a strangled sound.
“Tell me you’re gonna ride my cock, and I’ll give it back.” His voice was a dark promise.
I nodded. “Yes, yes,” I panted, willing to promise anything.
“Good girl,” he whispered, leaning down until his mouth was against my ear. His fingers entered me again, but slower this time. “There you go.” His warm breath tickled my skin. “Take my fingers like you’re gonna take my cock.”
He sank them in deeper than before and hit something inside me that caused the building pleasure to erupt. I screamed his name, bucking wildly in abandon. Nothing mattered but the bliss consuming me.
“Fuuuck…yeah, that’s it. Gush all over my hand. Let me feel it.” His words were so far away, but his body was there, pressing me against the tree, holding me up.
How had I lived thirty-four years and never experienced this?