Chapter 8
Chapter Eight
“Where are we going?”
Ian led her on foot across the parking lot and through the pedestrian gate in the fence to the more significant section of the compound.
As they walked past the building housing the Trident offices, Beau came running out from behind it and heeled at Ian’s side without being told.
“My place. We converted the last building into large apartments. Mine’s on the first floor, and Devon and Kristen live on the second. ”
They continued across the paved lot with their canine escort.
Harder than granite, Ian not-so-discreetly adjusted himself for the third time since they climbed back up the grand staircase, and Angie smirked knowingly when she caught him in the act.
He was just as aroused as she was, if not more so, and he couldn’t wait for them to be alone.
When they reached the outside door, he placed his palm on a scanner like the one outside the club.
Opening the door for her, he let her enter before him.
There was an interior door to his apartment, and next to it was a smaller dog door for Beau.
Although the dog came in the same outside door they did, he didn’t wait for Ian to open the second door, opting to use his own entrance.
He disappeared inside as Ian stepped forward to scan his palm once again.
To their left was a staircase which led to the second apartment.
When the door in front of them opened, he yanked her inside impatiently.
The door slammed shut at the same time he shoved her against the wall next to it and crushed his mouth to hers.
There was nothing gentle about the kiss, and he was grateful she didn’t object.
In fact, she was just as rough in return.
Taking control, one of his hands plunged into her hair, and he made a fist. He pulled the strands only enough to sting and loved how it made her react even more frantic against him.
He maneuvered her head to where he wanted it so he had better access to her mouth, which he was devouring.
Her hands wrapped around his neck and held him just as possessively.
From their chests to their groins, they were fused together.
Her nipples were hard, but not as hard as the erection he was grinding against her mound.
They fit together like the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle.
His other hand dragged down her side to her hip and under her skirt to her ass.
He squeezed, and she moaned into his mouth.
Bending her knee, she brought it up to his hip, wrapping her leg around his thigh, desperately trying to get closer to him even though it was physically impossible.
The door next to them popped open, and Ian ripped his lips from hers at the same time they heard a female shriek. “Oh my God, Uncle Ian! I’m so sorry. Oh, crap. Never mind, I’ll go upstairs to Uncle Devon’s.”
“No.” The word came out hoarsely, and Ian cleared his throat. “No, don’t, Baby-girl. They went out to meet Will and some friends for lunch. Just go into the kitchen and give us a minute, okay.”
They were still joined at the hip, and although he knew how it looked, there was no way Ian was pulling away from her in front of his niece with the throbbing erection he had. His forehead rested on Angie’s as they tried to slow down their breathing.
“It’s all right, I’ll go someplace else.”
Glancing at the pretty young blonde as she was about to close the door again, he grabbed her arm after noticing her swollen eyes and tear-stained face. “Baby-girl? What’s wrong?”
The moment he said it, he knew what the answer would be.
Tomorrow night was the anniversary of her parents’ murders.
Damn it. He should have ensured she was okay today, but she’d been fine last night when he talked to her, and he’d figured she wouldn’t feel the full impact until tomorrow. He’d been wrong.
“I’m so sorry, but I-I was overthinking and didn’t want to be alone today. My roommate’s gone until tomorrow, and I didn’t want to explain what was wrong to anyone else. But I’ll go find Brody or Jake.”
Although he was still leaning against Angie, he pulled Jenn into the room and turned her toward the kitchen. “Go in the kitchen. Pull out the fixings for sandwiches, and we’ll be there in a minute. We haven’t had lunch yet.”
She looked like she was going to argue, but he wouldn’t let her, and the concern in his voice was evident. “That’s an order, Jenn.”
After she did as she was told, with Beau on her heels, he shut the door and faced Angie, who’d stood there in silence as he dealt with his niece.
He cupped her jaw and softly brushed his lips over hers.
He kept his voice low and said, “I’m so sorry, Angel.
I wasn’t expecting this to happen, but tomorrow is a bad day for her. She’s my goddaughter.”
“It’s fine, Ian. Don’t apologize. Tomorrow’s the anniversary of her parents’ deaths, isn’t it?” She was whispering, and when his brow furrowed in confusion, she added, “Brody told me what happened and why she lived with you now.”
He nodded and finally stepped away from her body.
Glancing over his shoulder to ensure the coast was clear, he adjusted himself, groaning as he did.
“When she’s not at her dorm at U. of T., she’s here.
” He watched as she straightened her clothes.
“I’d like for you to stay and meet her, but I’ll understand if you don’t want to right now. ”
“I’d like to meet her, but wouldn’t she feel better if I left?”
He ran his hands down her arms to her hands and held them, loving how her delicate fingers looked entwined with his larger, rougher ones.
Her skin was so soft, he didn’t want to stop touching it.
“No, I think she could use the distraction. Besides, if you leave, she’ll ask me twenty million questions and feel guilty, believing you left because of her.
Typical teenage thinking, I know, and when she puts her mind to it, she’s better than most military interrogators.
She’ll go much easier on you than me since she doesn’t know you yet. ”
She laughed and looked downward at his bulging crotch. “Fine. I’ll tell you what—you get your wee-wee under control, and I’ll introduce myself to your niece.”
His raised eyebrow made her laugh harder. He reached around and pinched her ass, and she swallowed her surprised yelp. “Brat. And stop laughing because you’ll be formally introduced to my ‘wee-wee’ later, and I promise you that’s the last time you’ll call it that.”
Pushing off the wall, she let her hand brush against his groin as she sashayed toward the kitchen.
Sexually frustrated beyond anything he’d ever known, he dramatically thumped his head against the wall and heard her laugh at him.
Grinning, he watched her walk into his kitchen and greet his goddaughter. “Hi, I’m Angie.”
Angie was tucked under Ian’s arm on the couch four hours later, while Jenn was curled up in her favorite extra-wide chair with Beau snoring on the floor beside her.
After Ian had gotten his body back down to a slow simmer, he joined them in the kitchen.
Jenn had already made her own sandwich and been putting the final touches on his usual choice as Angie was finishing her creation.
They’d also hauled out some coleslaw and Jenn’s beloved sour cream and onion potato chips.
The two women had taken to each other instantly.
It didn’t take long to convince Jenn there was no need to apologize for her interruption, and Angie soon had his niece talking about school and her job as a waitress at Jake’s brother’s pub.
While they’d taken the sandwiches and chips into the living room and gotten comfortable, Ian grabbed three bottles of water from the fridge and followed them.
Now they were watching The Princess Bride, which had followed Robin Hood: Men in Tights.
Thankfully, both women were in the mood for some comedy instead of tear-jerking chick flicks.
Although he was enjoying it, Ian had difficulty accepting how comfortable the domestic scene felt.
It was a rare occasion if he brought a woman back to his place, and this was the first woman in a very long time he’d introduced to his goddaughter.
He'd dated numerous women since his engagement had ended ten years ago. Some of the relationships even lasted for a few months, but every time a woman pushed him for more, he broke it off. He didn’t go into a relationship intending to end it at a certain point.
However, it’s what always eventually happened.
As long as the woman kept things light and uncomplicated, Ian was fine, but he refused to let a woman get too close to him again.
Despite his best efforts to move on, it always came down to one thing—he didn’t want to go through what he’d experienced when Kaliope broke his heart.
There had been a time when he’d believed in soulmates and thought he’d found his.
He’d never been the most romantic man in the world.
He didn’t spout poetry or think to bring a woman flowers just because he felt like it.
She’d known how he was from the beginning of their relationship, but Kaliope thought she could change him.