Chapter 12
Chapter Twelve
A s Rhys unlocked his front door, his chest held a knot of residual anger and a whole lot of relief.
He held Haven tucked under his arm. She was alive. Safe. Breathing.
She looked fine despite her ordeal. He wanted to take care of her.
And he definitely didn’t want to feel the fear that had hit him knowing she’d been taken again.
They walked in and he flicked the lights on.
“Why don’t you take a bath?” he said. “Relax—”
“I don’t want a bath.” She walked into his place and his gaze took in the back of that damn dress. Or rather lack of a back.
She spun, her blue gaze on him.
Then she ran at him and jumped.
He caught her with a grunt, sliding his hands under her ass. “Haven.”
“I know what I want.” Her mouth hovered over his, not kissing him. Yet.
Anticipation was hot and hungry. Her breath mingled with his.
His cock went hard in an instant. Then he dug deep and dredged up some control. It was minuscule. “You’ve had a rough night—”
She licked her lips and her tongue brushed his. They both groaned. His fingers bit into her ass.
“I’m not thinking of anything but you,” she murmured.
Rhys gritted his teeth. He was known for his control. Iron hands on the wheel of a fast car, on the controls of a speeding boat, on a rifle in battle.
Right now, those hands were shaking.
Because of her.
His Haven.
When he didn’t move or say anything, he saw uncertainty cross her face.
“Um, if you don’t want—?”
He slid a hand up and tangled it in her hair. He tilted her head back, just rough enough to get her attention. Her pretty lips parted.
“What do you want, baby?” he drawled.
Something twisted inside him, a beastly part of him that wanted to throw her on the ground, and tear that damn dress off of her.
“I want to be safe,” she murmured. “I want your hands on me.” Her mouth brushed his lightly. “I want you inside me.”
Rhys’ growl was loud. His cock was hard and throbbing, trapped in his damn jeans. Sharp need twisted in his gut.
He’d never wanted to claim and possess a woman like this before.
“You going to let me sink my cock deep? You wet for me, angel?”
She squirmed against him. “Yes.”
“It won’t be polite or gentle.” He ground his cock against her. “You’ve got me hot and hard.”
“I want hard. I want it all .” She was breathing fast.
Rhys strode across the room to the dining table, filled with barely leashed hunger. He set her down on her feet, then pushed the dress off her shoulders.
The fabric fell to her waist and she gasped, but Rhys could only see those gorgeous breasts. They weren’t big, but they were perfectly formed, and topped with pink nipples.
“Rhys—”
He slid an arm around her and pushed her back, arching her spine so her breasts pushed up at him.
“Look at you.” He ran his knuckles across her nipples, watching them turn to hard, little beads.
She made a hungry, desperate sound.
He lowered his head and sucked one nipple into his mouth.
“Oh… Yes, God .”
He rolled his tongue over her nipple, loving how she squirmed. Then he moved across to the other one. Her skin was so smooth, so damn sweet.
She slid one hand into his hair, and gave a small yank. He sucked harder, and she moaned and bucked against him.
“Need you inside me,” she pleaded.
Desire made everything in him hot, tight. If he didn’t have her soon, he’d implode. He felt like he’d wanted her forever. He couldn’t remember not wanting her.
He pushed her dress down and it slithered into a pool at her feet.
She wore a tiny wisp of bronze lace beneath.
He gripped her hips and lifted her onto the table.
“Oh.” She gripped his biceps. Then she grabbed his shirt and yanked.
Buttons flew everywhere, and her gaze locked on his chest. She pushed the torn shirt off.
“My God, you’re Grade-A fantasy material.” She pressed a hand to his abs, her nails scratching his skin.
Rhys made a sound that made her gaze meet his. He saw the answering need in her eyes, the same desire that was strumming through him.
Then she touched the tattoo on his chest—the American flag. A reminder of why he’d fought, why he’d given up little pieces of his soul.
Then before he realized what she had planned, she palmed the large bulge in his trousers. Fuck . He felt his balls draw up, and for a second, he worried that he’d come in his jeans.
He moved fast, pressing close between her legs and shoving her back on his table. Damn, he’d never seen a better sight than a naked Haven McKinney laid out for him.
“Baby, my cock is on a hair trigger when it comes to you. I plan to come deep inside you, not in my jeans.”
She arched up, and he stroked his hands down her belly. Then under the edge of her thong. She was drenched and his gut clenched.
“Baby, so wet. I can slam inside you and I’ll slide right in.”
“ Rhys .”
He hated even the tiniest barrier between them. He yanked and tore her thong off.
She gasped. “No one’s ever torn my clothes off me.”
He smiled darkly. “You started it. You ripped my shirt off.”
She bit her lip. “I’m not sorry.”
He leaned over and kissed her. A kiss that demanded everything. Their tongues stroked, both of them grabbing at each other, pressing hard. Her long legs clamped on his hips, and she writhed against his cock.
Rhys slid a hand between them. Then he slid two fingers along her sweet, wet folds. She cried out. Then he thrust his fingers inside her welcoming warmth.
Her hands clenched in his hair, pulling hard. She made a desperate sound, then chanted his name.
He could tell that she was close. He stilled and pulled his hand away.
“ No ,” she complained.
“I think you should come on my cock, not my fingers.”
“Rhys, please.” Her body arched.
“Or maybe, I’ll make you come on my hand, then again on my cock.” He slid his fingers back inside her. His thumb found her clit.
“Rhys!”
She rocked against his hand, and her scream felt like a prize. Her body squeezed down on his fingers as she came, and he kept working her, watching every emotion that crossed her face.
So damn expressive.
Finally, she slumped back, panting, her lips swollen.
Rhys yanked his belt free. He had to have her. Now .
He pulled a foil packet out of his pocket, then shoved his jeans down and kicked them off. Then his boxers followed, and his cock sprang free.
Haven rose up on one elbow, her hungry gaze on him. She took in his naked body, then stared at his cock. He fisted his erection and pumped.
Her chest hitched. “You’re big.”
“It’s all yours, baby.” He grabbed her and slid her toward the edge of the table.
She gasped.
He pushed up against her, his hands spreading her thighs. “What are you going to do with it?”
“Mine,” she whispered.
“Yours.”
He quickly tore the condom package open, and rolled it on. Then he pushed forward, sliding his swollen cock against her wet warmth.
She moaned. He pushed until the head of his cock was inside her. They both moaned.
Her arms and legs wrapped around him.
“Do it,” she ordered.
Rhys plunged into Haven—hard and deep.
Her cry was loud, her nails digging into his shoulders.
Tight, hot . He gritted his teeth. “Haven.”
“So big. So good.”
Rhys reared back and thrust hard. The table rocked beneath them. He picked up his pace.
“Hold on, Haven.” His hips slammed into her, in and out of her wet heat. He felt sensation building in his gut, balls, the base of his spine.
“ Yes , Rhys, harder.”
“ Baby .”
Their eyes met.
“Connected,” she whispered.
Hell yeah, connected . He was deep inside her. So fucking good.
“Come again,” he growled.
“I’m not sure—”
He changed the angle of his thrusts, tilting her hips. Her husky cries filled the air.
“Damn, need you, Haven.”
“Rhys!”
She came again hard. She whimpered, her body shuddering, pussy clenching on him.
Rhys’ release hit him like a knockout punch. A roar echoed through his head and every muscle in his body locked.
With one last thrust, he ran his teeth along her neck. Then he sank his teeth into the tendon there, and heard her cry out as his body shuddered through his white-hot release.
* * *
Haven did not care one bit that the table was hard against her back.
Her body tingled everywhere. Her breathing was still fast. Rhys’ body was slumped on hers, his face against her hair.
Wow .
She stroked a hand down his back. He shifted and pressed a kiss to the side of her neck where he’d bitten her.
Their gazes met, then his head lowered and he kissed her.
Oh .
Her hands drifted to his hair, lazily massaging as he kissed her. This time it was slow and deep, with a surprising edge of sweet.
She hummed into his mouth and shivered.
“Got to take care of this condom,” he said. “Be right back.”
He pulled out of her and she let out a little sound.
He grinned at her then stalked away, and she had just enough energy to stare at the hardest, most amazing ass she’d ever seen.
Haven guessed she should feel embarrassed, lying naked on Rhys’ table. She waited a second. Nope . Post-the-best-sex-that-she’d-ever-had bliss was in full effect.
Rhys came back, still gloriously naked, and pressed his hands to the table either side of her body.
“You going to sleep on the table?”
“Maybe,” she answered.
He grinned and a curl of heat ignited in her belly. Oh, boy.
He lifted her and she found herself tossed over a hard shoulder. A big hand pressed to her ass.
“Rhys!”
That earned her a grunt. He walked down the hall and into his bedroom. He laid her on the bed and she stared up at him. Out the window, she saw the lights of the Bay Bridge.
He reached over and flicked on the lamp on the bedside table, washing them in a warm glow.
It just made him look better. The light caressed his hard body, making it a fascinating pattern of gold skin and shadowed dips. She wanted to explore all those intriguing tattoos. She’d never had a thing for tattoos before, but on Rhys…yum.
“Can check the table off the list of places where I want to fuck you.” He pressed a knee to the bed.
She saw his long, thick cock getting hard again.
“Bed next,” he said.
Haven fought a rush of dampness between her legs. “How many places are on this list?”
His eyes flashed. “Everywhere.”
She thought he’d reach for her, but instead he leaned back against the pillows lined up against the metal headboard.
Then one strong hand circled his cock, and he started stroking himself.
Her belly went tight.
“What do you want now, Haven?”
Her chest filled with air and desire hummed through her. You. Everything.
He lifted his other hand and crooked his finger.
She crawled across the bed toward him. God, he had a beautiful cock. She knelt between his legs, and looked up his powerful, sexy body. His bronze skin was a beautiful contrast to the white sheets. On his face, she saw desire and, more than that, a need to possess.
This man wanted to possess her.
She wrapped her hand around his cock and made a fist. He grunted. She dragged her hand up from root to tip.
His grunt turned to a groan. “Baby.”
“I like this big cock.” It swelled in her hand.
“It likes you, too. Now, you going to suck it?”
She lowered her head. “Is that what you want?” Her lips brushed the tip.
Rhys hissed out a breath. He shifted, and the swollen head brushed across her lips. Haven opened her mouth and sucked him deep.
He muttered a curse, his hips pumping up. She slid up, then sucked him back in. One big hand slid into her hair. Not to direct her, but like he needed to ground himself.
She hummed on his cock. She loved the salty, musky taste of him. She licked and sucked, laved her tongue along his hard length.
“That’s so good, angel.” His voice was deep and raspy. “I love your sweet mouth.”
As she kept working him, his big body tensed. She saw the muscles in his abs straining.
Then suddenly, he yanked her off him.
“No.” She wasn’t done. She wanted to watch him come.
He pulled her up his body. God, she loved how strong he was, that he could so easily move her around. He pulled her thighs either side of his head.
Haven’s eyes popped open. Oh, oh.
“Prettiest pussy I’ve seen.” His mouth closed over her.
“Rhys!” Haven grabbed the headboard, her knuckles turning white.
His tongue plunged inside her and she couldn’t even cry out his name, all she could do was make hungry, desperate sounds.
He licked and sucked, lavishing her clit with attention. His stubble scraped her skin. Soon, her hips were bucking.
“Yeah, ride my face, baby.”
With a deep groan, she came. So damn hard. Her back arched, her head fell back, and she screamed.
Her body was still shaking, pleasure coursing through her like the sweetest drug, when Rhys lifted her again.
She found herself on her hands and knees in the center of his bed.
“Look, Haven.”
She lifted her head. The mirror on the wall gave her the perfect view of the two of them.
Rhys was on his knees behind her, and she heard the crinkle of foil before he rolled the condom on. Her belly contracted.
His hands slid between her cheeks, stroked, and she moaned.
Then his hands slid up her spine to her shoulder blades. He pushed and she lowered her head to the bed, pressing her cheek to the covers so she could watch them in the mirror.
Haven shivered, and watched one of his hands wrap around her waist, while the other one circled his cock.
He looked like a conquering king, about to claim his spoils of war.
He thrust into her.
Haven moaned.
“You like my cock, angel?”
She moaned again.
He moved inside her, not fast, but deep and firm. “You are so damn beautiful. I have the perfect view of your body taking my cock. You were made for my cock, Haven.”
Rhys leaned over her, covering her body with his. One of his hands slid down her arm, their fingers tangling together.
How could she feel this connected to him? Like they were one. She was surrounded by him—his strength, his power, his possessiveness.
Right now, there was only Rhys. The rest of the world did not exist.
He picked up speed, powering inside her. Haven felt her release building again. She shoved back against him, needing more.
“Can’t get enough, can you?” he growled.
“Can’t get close enough to you,” she panted.
She felt his fingers convulse on hers.
Then she came in a blinding rush. She shoved back against his strong body, his name torn from her lips. “ Rhys .”
“ Haven .” Another hard, violent thrust and he came. His roar echoed in her ears as she rode through the shockwaves of her orgasm.
Rhys’ arms wrapped around her as they collapsed on the bed. She looked into the mirror and saw one muscled, tattooed arm banded across her naked body.
Warmth unfolded inside her chest. She felt a prick of panic in the back of her head, but she pushed it away.
There was nowhere else she wanted to be right now except in Rhys’ arms.
He kissed her shoulder. “Sleep, baby.”
Warm, well-pleasured, and feeling safe, she did.