Chapter 6
She could not sleep. She had a feeling that there was something simmering beneath the surface. And that she had touched on a forbidden subject. She was also aware of him as a man. Who wouldn’t be? He was extremely attractive in a cynical, hard kind of way, but she had seen something when he let down his guard.
Robert Faulkner had built up a kind of immunity against hurt and rejection since childhood. She turned over to her side restlessly as she recalled conversations about him.
Jason had been particularly brutal in his summation of ‘the poor scholarship kid’. They don’t belong in our school and should not be allowed to mix with us.”
“You make it sound as if they have some kind of contagious disease.” Sonya had found herself defending them.
“And I have seen that stinking Robert Faulkner staring at you.” He had retorted angrily. “He deserves to be put in his place.”
“Because he has eyes inside his head?” She had scoffed. “I am disappointed in you, Jason. I thought you had more confidence.”
His eyes had blazed. “You think I am worried about some poverty-stricken asshole?”
“It sounds that way. Can we talk about something else? I am getting bored.” She had said it with the desperate hope of diverting him. Jason was known to be vindicative and for some reason, he was fixated on Robert. Thinking about it now, she realized she could have done more, said something to stop what was happening.
She had never been sympathetic. They – all the rich kids, which included her had been protected in their bubbles. And had not paid any attention to the ones who were just trying to survive. Ironically, Robert Faulkner could buy and sell most of them.
Jason was still struggling to be accepted in his company’s firm and was just a mediocre lawyer with two divorces. Most of her friends were still living off their families’ depleted fortune. She had not kept in touch with them much. Briana was a failed actress and was divorced and very bitter about it.
Stephanie was in rehab for the third time. They had been her two best friends and the ones who had run the school.
Goes to show that coming from money, did not mean a damn thing.
Abandoning the idea of falling asleep, she sat up and arranged the quilt over her. How were they going to survive a week of being alone together? He had been angry at her for delving into his past and she could not blame him.
What gave her the right to talk to him about it? She was not his girlfriend, nor his wife and should have kept her opinions to herself.
“Forgiveness heals you…,” she muttered, recalling the platitude she had mouthed. “For goodness sakes. How trite could one be?” Taking a deep breath, she fluffed her pillows and tried again to go to sleep.
*****
The scent of coffee hit her before she even left the room and had her hurrying towards the source. She had fallen asleep in the early hours of the morning and woke up to realize it was almost nine.
He was seated at the dining table, a cup of coffee in his hands and his hair was damp.
“Hi.” She approached cautiously, her eyes wandering over his face.
“Hi.” He gestured to the pot. “I made coffee and some eggs and bacon. I don’t really eat breakfast.”
“Thanks.” She went to get a cup and poured herself some of the brew, adding creamer.
You’re wet.”
“I went for a run and got caught in the rain.”
“Oh.” Taking her cup with her, she joined him at the table and looked out. “It’s really pouring.”
He nodded. “I am accustomed to exercising first thing.”
“So am I, but there’s no way I’m going out in that.”
“I wouldn’t advise you to. It is freezing. I put some more logs on the fire and the range is on. Are you cold?” His hazel eyes took in the thick sweater she had on.
“No. I am quite warm actually.” She toyed with her cup. “How did you sleep?”
He gave her a sharp glance and wondered if it was a loaded question. He had barely slept, thinking about her in the room a few feet away and tortured himself wondering what the hell she had on. He had also been tempted to take a bloody peek.
“Good.” He lied. “You?”
“I had trouble falling off for a few hours. Strange place.” She murmured, avoiding his gaze.
“Well…,” scraping back his chair, he rose, “I have some work to catch up on. I will be in the living room.”
“Me too,” she cleared her throat. “I -er- I’ll just finish breakfast and do the cleaning up.” With a curt nod, he left the room. She stared down into her cup and felt despair clouding her vision. He was still upset, and she had no idea what to do about it.
*****
He gave up reading the contract. The words were blurring together anyway, and he wasn’t making head or tail of the sentences. The technical terms didn’t make much sense, and nothing fitted.
Leaning his head back, he closed his eyes briefly and realized that he was very tired. Last night he spent time dwelling on his life. The past which had reared its ugly head because of their conversation. He was not ashamed of who he was at that time, it had made him the man he was today.
But parts of it he would love to forget. Like the hunger, Jesus! The acute hunger that made his stomach cramp. He had gone without food because he had been saving money to purRobert a broken-down oil well that everyone had thought was no longer of any use. But he had studied the place and done his homework without anyone knowing.
He had saved every penny, except what he had sent home to his mom and little sister. Her second husband had not lasted long but had died in a vehicular crash when Catherine was barely five. The one good thing he had done was to leave them in a tiny house that had been paid for. And a life insurance that had not lasted very long.
So, Robert had helped as best as he could. He thought he would have resented his little sister who had come so late in his life, but the moment he laid eyes on her, he had fallen in love and his protective spirit had come to the fore.
His life was a mess, he acknowledged. He was rich, something he had always wanted, and he was not happy. Had he ever been? He wondered grimly.
No, because the only thing he wanted was the woman in the bedroom who was out of his reach and out of his league. He should be able to go to her and tell her how he felt but was afraid of being rejected. She just wanted to pretend to be married so that she could go on with her life.
“Damn me.! He whispered hoarsely. “And damn her!”
*****
Supper wasn’t any easier. She had spent the time in her room, just sitting there and staring at the documents she had brought with her.
She had avoided him as best as she could, just going into the kitchen to grab some lunch. She had ventured into the living room where he was still seated on the sofa, poring over documents and asked if he wanted to eat and had only received a grunt for her effort.
Well, she had tried. She had retreated inside her bedroom and slammed the door. If he was going to be that way, then to hell with him.
To make matters even worse, the rain had not let up for the entire day, which had left her feeling trapped and restless. There was no internet service and no cable, except for the basics. She tried to read but could not concentrate.
They barely spoke at dinner and the few times she tried to engage him; his responses had been brief and unencouraging.
Which had led her to quit while she was ahead. His expression was grim and forbidding, discouraging any further attempts at being cordial. She had no idea how they were going to make it through the next five days. It could not come soon enough.
“I will clean up,” she said when he scraped back his chair and rose.
“Good.” With a grunt, he strode from the kitchen without a backward look.
“Great.” She huffed out a breath and pushed away her plate of half-eaten beef stew which was very good. She was not the only one who had not done justice to the meal. He had left most of his on the plate.
Pushing back her chair, she set about doing the tidying up.
*****
At first, she thought it was something out of her subconscious or that she was hearing things. Her eyes flickered open, and she stared around the shadowed room in confusion, trying to identify what had seeped into her slumber.
She was about to close her eyes and try and go back to sleep when she heard it again. A shout. More like a feral growl. It sounded very much like an animal in pain, and she eased up quickly on the pillows, her heart pounding.
When it happened again, she realized it was inside the house and was more human than animal. Shoving the sheets off her, she swung her legs off the bed and without thinking, shoved the door open and raced into his room.
When she rushed over to the bed, it was to discover him thrashing restlessly. Sitting on the edge, she tried to shake him awake and when that did not accomplish it, she took his shoulders in a strong grip with the intention of shaking him some more.
His hands came up in defense when he felt her hands on him. Striking out blindly, he shoved her away with enough force to push her off the bed. But even then, he was still thrashing around and shouting.
Getting to her feet, she approached the bed again and this time straddling his stomach. Lifting her hand, she slapped him sharply across one cheek and then the other. That did the trick. Rearing up, he gazed at her, eyes feverish, his body coated in sweat.
“What the hell!”
“You had a nightmare,” she told him calmly, feeling her heartbeat slowing down.
“I am sorry.” Flopping back against the pillows, he closed his eyes briefly. “Did I wake you? Of course, I did. I apologize.”
“Would you like a glass of water?” She was sitting on his stomach, but neither of them was aware of it nor the fact that he was naked as a jaybird.
“No. I am fine.”
“You are sweating.”
“I am fine!” He snapped. “Christ! I am sorry.” His hands came up to grip her shoulders. “I haven’t had one in a very long time.”
“Do you want to talk about it?”
“No.” He shook his head. “I can’t.” His hands were automatically drifting up and down her bare arms. “Thanks for trying to help.”
“You sounded like an animal in pain.” She peered at him anxiously.
“It was vicious.” He admitted. His hands drifted to her neck where he started to knead the muscles. “It felt as if I was drowning.” His thumbs pressed into the hollow of her throat, where the pulse was skidding. “Thanks again.” He murmured, his voice slightly hoarse.
“You’re welcome. I should…” She shifted her bottom slightly and went still, dark eyes rounding as they flew to his face.
“I…, er…,” he closed his eyes again and then opened them to stare at her. “I always sleep in the nude. It’s a habit! Oh Christ!” He groaned. “You should…” Before he could get to the end of the sentence, she was draping herself over him and pressing her mouth to his.
Years of bottling up his feelings, of simply trying to ignore them and move on, was too much. At the first touch of her lips, his tenuous control shattered. He had spent the past two days alienating her so that she would stay the hell away from him. But now that she was here, on top of him, her slender curves pressed against his, was too much for him.
His hands went around her waist and then up her back towards her neck where he dug his fingers through the thick strands of hair to keep her steady for the invasion of his tongue. He tried practicing restraint, but he was too far gone, and his loins were bursting with a desire that seemed to be eating away at his insides.
But still he managed to hold back, barely brushing his lips against hers as if giving her the freedom to stop. When she opened her mouth, he smothered a groan and accepted what she was offering.
Hell, tomorrow she might very well regret this, but for now, he was taking it. He had waited years and never thought it would happen and Ah God! She was sweet. Her mouth tasted like honey mixed with something much sweeter.
He tangled with her tongue, slowly, his hands moving over her back. Her small breasts, and good God, he could feel the rigidity of her nipples branding his chest! Emotions swirled through his body like a tidal wave.
Clamping his hands around her small waist her deepened the kiss until they were mating sensually, mouth moving over each other, bodies writhing and hearts thumping like crazy.
Unable to bear anymore, he reversed their positions without breaking the kiss, afraid that if he did, she would come to her senses and run away from him. Stretching his body on top of hers, he kissed her like a man who had been starving for years and that was the case.
The taste of her was going to his head and driving him mad. The feel of her through the thinness of her nightgown was more than he could stand. He had to have her.
Lifting his lips from hers, he gazed at her and felt his heart splintering. Her eyelids fluttered open to reveal the slumbrous sensuality of her gaze. Her lips were quivering and moist from his kisses.
“Sonya, Are you…”
“Yes.” She whispered, her hands coming up to curl into his chest hairs. “Yes, please.”
With a tortured groan and never breaking eye contact, he eased up so he could remove her nightgown.
Her breasts were perfect, not too small, just the right size and the nipples had the saliva pooling inside his mouth.
He wasn’t going to last, he thought hazily. He was going to make a fool of himself and ejaculate prematurely. Or he was going to be rough. Shaking his head, he eased her up so he could feast.
And he did. He attacked her throat with teeth and tongue, sending flames licking through her body. He was thorough, his mouth moving over her skin. When he reached her breasts, he hesitated slightly, his breath stirring her skin.
Then with a ragged sigh, he brushed his lips over the tight, sensitive bud. Her body simply dissolved. There was no other word for it. She was melting like butter when the sun hits it full on.
His tongue swirled over the bud slowly, intently, sweetly and had her trembling. Then he took it into his mouth, between his teeth, nibbling before suckling hungrily. She felt it right between her thighs – it was like a sharp pleasure pain that was becoming unbearable.
“Robert.” Her fingers were digging into his back, the bunched muscles of his shoulders, her body writhing beneath his.
When he reached a hand between them and cup her sex, her body jerked and she climaxed, the intensity of it causing her to arch her body upwards.
With a shudder and a hoarse groan, he lifted his head and knew it had to be now. He couldn’t hold out any longer. He was throbbing so much, he felt as if he was dying, if he did not have her.
Lowering himself, he kept his eyes on hers as he guided his pulsing erection in. His breathing was ragged, and he was afraid he was going to make a fool of himself.
He was so intent on the look on her exquisite face that it took him a few seconds to realize that he was not all the way in, that something was blocking his entrance. He tried again and felt when she tensed. Realization was like a gut punch and had him going still. “It cannot be.” He whispered. “Sonya...”
“Don’t stop, please.” Lifting her legs, she wrapped them around his trim waist and tried to force him to enter her, but he held himself rigid.
“You are…?”
“Yes. So?” Her tone was defensive, and she was not looking at him.
“Why?” He was confused and elated at the same time. Something must be terribly wrong for a woman like her to still be a virgin.
Her head lifted in defiance. “I never found anyone I wanted to go all the way with.”
“That asshole, Jason, you were a couple.”
“Yes, well, I wasn’t about to run the risk of getting pregnant,” she said primly.
Robert felt the love exploding in his heart and he struggled to keep it inside and not blurt it out. She was a virgin! All that time he had tortured himself, visualizing her with other men, it had been for nothing. And she was offering herself to him. He was so humbled; he wanted to weep.
“If you have changed your mind…,” she gasped when he pushed into her carefully.
“I don’t want to hurt you, and I couldn’t stop even if I wanted to.” His voice was thick, his heart thundering so loudly, he felt faint. It took him a few seconds, but he finally broke through the thin barrier and was completely sheathed.
He did not move for a few seconds. Her tightness was closed around him so much that he could not move, not yet. He had never been with a virgin before, not even when it was his first time. Sex had always been a way of blowing off steam for him and the women he had been with had been experienced.
For him, it had been physical, just that. Even when he started making money and could have his choice of female companion, it had never been emotional. Now it was more than that. This was spiritual, his soul was involved, his entire being was wrapped up in this one slender woman who had captured his heart when he was not more than a child.
His hands cupped her face, and he lowered his head to hers, taking her lips in a kiss that spoke volumes, that told her what he did not dare verbalize. He moved then and she mirrored his thrusts, her hands wrapped around his neck.
He increased the pace, swallowing her moans as she matched him pace for pace, her hands wandering up and down his back, her body lifting towards his.
Robert felt as if he was being drawn into an erotic dream. Somehow it did not seem real that this was happening. That he was with the woman he had loved for so long that it had become a part of him.
She was everything and more than he had ever imagined, and he was her first, and God help him, he was going to be her last. There was no going back for either of them or whatever he had to do, he was going to keep her with him. He was never going to let her go, not after this.
Her body stiffened, warning him what was coming.
Lifting his mouth from hers, he whispered. “Let go.”
“Robert.”
“Yes baby. Just let go. I am right behind you. That’s it.” His eyes held hers. “Give me everything.” He encouraged hoarsely. “And take what I am offering. Take me.” The climax was explosive and had him driving into her with a force that shoved her towards the headboard.
He came and came and felt as if he was being drained of his life force. Burying his head in her fragrant hair, he emptied himself, his body shuddering, his skin moist. Her legs slipped off his waist weakly.
He felt the frantic beating of her heart against his skin. Something registered that he was probably crushing her, but he could not move. Not yet.