Chapter Nineteen #2
“You ran from me.” When he thought about what might have happened to her…
Nothing was working as it normally did. Reaping was instinctual.
He was pulled to where he needed to be when he needed to be there.
But he was currently more human than reaper.
Bad enough she’d die soon, the idea of her facing it alone…
Pushed beyond his limits, he captured her lips. This was no gentle foreplay but a primal claiming.
Keys hit the floor, followed by her purse.
Her nails dug into his shoulders as she returned the fevered kiss.
Fuelled by desperation, he ran his hands down her sides and around to grip her behind.
He was on fire for her, the yearning one that would never be fully satisfied, no matter how many times he had her.
“I’m sorry.” She gasped when he broke away to leave biting kisses down her neck. “I felt out of place, like I didn’t belong, like I was in the way.” She dug her fingers into his hair and tilted her head to one side to give him better access.
Hurting her had never been his intention. “I’m sorry, too.” There were too many secrets between them, so much they would never share, but they had now.
…
Her frustration and hurt fizzled and died the second he swooped down and took her mouth in a hot, demanding kiss. There was no way to stay mad at him, and he hadn’t done anything wrong, beyond having a stilted conversation with a brother he wasn’t close with.
Once again, she’d allowed her past to taint the present. That was on her. She’d left them all without explanation. Next time she saw Sam and Adrianne, she owed them both an apology for her abrupt departure.
She’d experienced a momentary jolt of panic when she’d seen Alex bearing down on her, his black eyes snapping with anger. It had been swallowed by a rush of desire that had sent her scrambling.
Casual hook ups had never been her thing. And getting involved, even temporarily, with someone staying at the inn was a huge no-no. But boundaries vanished around Alex. Then there’d been the bone-deep realization his anger had been driven by fear…for her.
It was the middle of the day, not the dead of night.
She hadn’t given a second’s thought about being on her own at the house, but he had.
Threats had escalated to property damage and business sabotage.
While she didn’t want to believe they’d physically harm her over the property, she wasn’t naive enough to think they wouldn’t.
There’d been no way of knowing how bad a fall she or someone else might have taken on the stairs.
To do such a thing showed a level of callous disregard for people’s safety.
The worst part was she could easily imagine her brother or ex being behind it.
Alex’s hands tightened on her behind. The outline of his erection was hard against her. She licked her lips, her mouth suddenly dry. It didn’t matter that he would eventually leave.
She’d gone the white dress and picket fence route.
It had been an utter disaster. The attraction, the connection between her and Alex was unexpected.
She wasn’t in a place in her life where she wanted a serious relationship, was in the process of learning to stand on her own two feet and establish her independence.
Not every relationship had to be for forever or even have the potential to be long-lasting. Sometimes a person came into your life for a few days or weeks or a season. Alex had reminded her there was more to life than hard work. She was a woman with wants and needs. And right now, she needed him.
He watched her with the patience of a predator stalking its prey in the wild. All his thick muscles were coiled, ready to pounce, but he wouldn’t take this any further, not unless she agreed.
Chivalric wasn’t the right word to describe him.
She instinctively knew he wouldn’t like it.
This was a man who’d fight dirty to get what he wanted.
Direct was the word that suited him. He didn’t pretty things up or sweet-talk her.
He was blunt, not flinching at telling her what she didn’t want to hear.
He treated her as an equal. To a woman who’d always been looked down on by her father and brother, seen as less-than by her ex, it was heady stuff.
“Cilla?” He dropped his hands from her behind, his eyes blanking, as if shutters had been dropped over them.
Lunging forward, she grabbed his head and dragged it down.
This time she was the aggressor, taking what she wanted.
His lips were firm and soft, his tongue demanding and hot as it stroked over hers.
She made a sound of pleasure in the back of her throat and lost herself in the heat and passion that threatened to consume her.
If this was madness, she gladly embraced it.
Needing more, she skimmed her hands down his chest and burrowed under his shirt, mapping the muscular terrain of his hard stomach.
Suddenly, touching wasn’t enough. She had to see him.
Fisting her hands in the fabric, she shoved it up.
He stepped back and leaned forward, allowing her to pull it over his head.
The shirt fell to the floor, forgotten in the face of the pure perfection she’d revealed.
She smoothed her palms over his pectorals and traced the ridges of his abs, the muscles flexing beneath her touch.
Heat radiated from his big body, and his breathing quickened.
Rather than rush her exploration, he planted his hands on the wall on either side of her.
Turning her head, she nipped at his bulging biceps.
The man was built—tall and strong without an ounce of spare fat.
He threw back his head, exposing the strong column of his neck.
Having this much male under her control was making her giddy.
This might be the last time they were together.
His life beyond Redemption would not wait indefinitely, especially now that he’d reconnected with his brother.
Whatever family issues were keeping him here would surely soon be resolved.
The pang in her chest came as no surprise. She’d done exactly what she’d told herself not to do—allowed herself to become attached. All the lectures hadn’t stopped her from falling a little in love with him. But who could blame her?
It’s not real. It couldn’t be. Love didn’t happen in an instant. It took time to build. This was pure animal attraction, the kind that rarely happened.
If that was all it could ever be, she was damn well going to take advantage of it. The outline of his erection was prominent against the heavy fabric. She curled her fingers around it.
Alex’s control snapped. For a big man, he moved incredibly fast. Buttons flew everywhere as her blouse was torn open.
Large hands palmed her breasts. Her nipples poked against the lacy fabric of her bra, adding to the stimulation.
With a growl, he reached behind, unhooked it, and stripped both garments away.
The feel of his hands on her bare skin sent lightning bolts of desire slamming through her.
This was out of control. They were standing in the foyer.
The door was closed, but she had no idea if it was locked.
Anyone could see them through the windows if they came up onto the porch.
He leaned down and captured one turgid nipple between his lips, and the worry about their location vanished beneath the onslaught of heat from his mouth.
He flicked the tip with his tongue before sucking hard. The other breast wasn’t lacking attention. His palm plumped the mound while his thumb and forefinger rubbed and gently pinched.
She dragged her fingernails down his smoothly sculpted chest, pushed until there was some space between them, and sank to her knees.
He froze, not moving a muscle, barely breathing as she eased down the zipper of his pants and pushed aside his underwear.
The springy hair of his groin tickled her.
His cock jumped out into her hand, thick and heavy with roped veins coursing up and down his hard length.
The flared head was slick. She rubbed her thumb over the tip, capturing some of the proof of his desire.
“You don’t have to do this.” His chest expanded and contracted with each deep breath, but his legs were as steady as ancient redwoods.
Leaning forward, she slicked her tongue over the broad head.
The sound he made, a combination of desire and pain, raised goosebumps on her arms. While she’d done this before, it wasn’t something she’d particularly enjoyed with her ex.
With Alex, anticipation had her quivering.
Her panties were wet, her core clenching and releasing.
She opened her mouth and took him in, wrapping her palm around the base so she could control how deep he went. He didn’t try to force it, didn’t try to take over. She moved up and down, sucking and licking, experimenting to discover what he liked best.
Hands braced on the wall behind her, he groaned and his big body began to shake. She plunged her free hand into his jeans and cupped his balls. They were firm and tight, an indication of his readiness.
Alex dug his fingers into her hair and tugged until she released him. “Condom. Wallet. Back pocket,” he gasped.
Cilla reached around him and used the opportunity of being so close to lick his abs.
His grip tightened, a not-so-subtle reminder he was nearly at the end of his tether.
Not wasting any time, she got to her feet, flipped open the wallet and dug out a condom.
Her trembling hands made it difficult to get it open but she managed.
Taking her time, she rolled the protection over his erection.
The second it was secured, he went down on one knee in front of her, quickly and efficiently getting rid of her pants and underwear.
Straightening, he put his hands on her bare bottom, lifted her off her feet like she weighed nothing, and pressed her back against the wall.
Before she could catch a breath, he was sliding inside her.
She was slick with need, and he sank in easily.
She wrapped her legs around his hips and her arms around his neck.
His cock pulsed in time to his heartbeat, causing her inner muscles to flex and ripple around him. Her breasts were plastered against his chest, each tiny motion rubbing the tender nipples. Their eyes met and held. “Make love to me.” They were the first words she’d uttered since they’d begun.
There were promises that would never be spoken, commitments that would never be made. They understood the boundaries and both had reasons for not crossing them. But it in no way diminished what was happening here and now.
Ever so slowly, he began to move in and out, flexing his hips, controlling the depth of his thrusts. She squeezed her thighs, tightening around him. Gritting her teeth, she fought the urge to tell him to hurry, not wanting the delicious lovemaking to end.
His hair was damp, falling around his face. His jaw was firm, determination etched on his face. Stern and forbidding, dark and sexy, Alex was all that and more. She kissed his forehead and nose before capturing the prize—his mouth.
This was more than hot, sweaty sex. It wasn’t a forever love, but there was a depth of caring neither could deny.
It was there in every kiss, every touch, and every moan.
His fingers dug into the firm flesh of her bottom when she playfully nipped at his tongue.
He picked up the pace, their slick skin sliding together.
His hips began to piston, driving harder and faster, stealing her breath.
Her sex clamped down on his cock. Starbursts flashed in her eyes. Nails digging into his shoulders, she arched her head back and cried out. The orgasm swept her away with its beauty and power.
Shoving her harder against the wall, he hammered into her. The only thing keeping her upright was his iron grip. He yelled, driving home one final time. His big body fell against hers, pinning her in place.
Spent and rocked to her core, she clung to him, running her hands over his back and arms to soothe him. Tears pricked her eyes, but she blinked them back. The beauty of their lovemaking left her breathless. The thought of never experiencing it again hurt on a cellular level.
When he finally raised his head, she’d gotten control of her wayward emotions. “That was…”
He nodded and brushed his lips over hers. “It was.”
That he seemed as much at a loss about what to say as her made it hurt a little less. They were often in tune with each other, like a couple who’d been together a long time.
Aware of her surroundings now that the heat of passion had been momentarily sated, she peered over his shoulder. “We should probably get out of the foyer.”
He gave a snort of laughter and eased out of her, forcing her to release him. Her legs were shaky, making her grateful for the wall behind her. She looked down at her feet. “I’m still wearing my sandals.” Somehow they’d stayed on. How had she missed that?
“Those things are sexy as hell.”
“They’re flats, not heels.” Although she was fond of the rainbow of faux jewels.
“Sexy,” he repeated. He dealt with the condom and hitched his underwear and pants back into place. He was almost fully dressed again while she was buck naked, except for the apparently sexy sandals.
A sense of modesty and real concern that someone might show up at the door had her easing around him and darting down the hall. “I’m going to shower and change.”
He caught her before she closed her bedroom door.
Her bra was draped over his arm, the rest of their clothes bundled against his chest. She had no idea how he’d managed to gather them so fast. She held out her hand, trying to project confidence while feeling awkward standing there with nothing on. “Thanks.”
“Invite me in.” His voice was deep and filled with sensual promise.
They’d gone too far to back away now and both knew it. She eased the door wider. “Come in.”