Chapter 17 #2
“No, baby,” he rasped and trailed his hand from my hip and up my back until he gathered my hair in his fist and twisted it until tingles radiated over my scalp.
“Who you had was a man who saw a gorgeous woman in a bar and knew instantly he wanted to take her back to his room and spend the rest of the night fucking her. Now, Sugar, you got a new man standing in front of you—one that’s not gonna let you walk away.
So like I said, you have no clue what you’re asking for.
I was clear where I wanted us to go, the relationship I want us to build, the one I want with Remy, and finally the one I want the three of us to have.
I saw some hesitation and wanted to take this slow.
But, baby, you keep looking at me like you’re looking at me, you’re gonna find yourself in my bed and under me a whole lot quicker than you think. ”
At some point during his soliloquy, I’d shivered. At another, I’d trembled. But from the moment he’d said ‘baby’ in that deep, rumbly voice my nipples had pebbled and my panties had dampened. I wanted under him and on top of him. Further, I didn’t want him to let me go.
“You misread the hesitation, honey. I don’t want you to let me go and I’m all for moving this along. The quicker the better, if you ask me.”
We stood there unmoving, locked in a moment that was five years in the making.
Five long years I waited, hoped, prayed, longed for the man standing in front of me.
Now, the wait was over and I wasn’t going to waste more time on stupid stuff like indecision.
I knew what I wanted and Rhode clearly knew what he wanted so I didn’t see the point in slow.
Slow sounded horrible.
Slow sounded like torture.
In other words, I wasn’t going to squander my good fortune.
My hands went to the hem on his tee. They dipped under the fabric, hit warm, smooth skin, and my eyes closed.
“That night I remember lying next to you feeling your heartbeat.” My right hand skimmed over his abs to his ribs and I paused there to trace the tattoo I couldn’t see.
“There was something about the beat of your heart that soothed me. That’s why I left in the morning.
I was scared.” I rested my palm over his heart and sure enough, the steady rhythm calmed my nerves and excited me all at once.
It emboldened me and it scared the ever-loving shit out of me.
“I knew I wanted to feel your heartbeat forever. I never wanted to leave your side. I wanted your strength and all you could give me. I wanted that so badly I had no choice but to protect myself from the hurt losing you was going to cause.”
Rhode let go of my hair but only to slide his hand around and cup my cheek. Soft and gentle and so sweetly his thumb brushed over my lips.
“You’re not scared now?”
“Oh, I’m terrified. But that’s how I know this is right. I’m petrified of losing you a second time. So scared that I know I’ll do everything in my power to keep you with me.”
With nothing but Rhode’s handsome face filling my vision, the steady beat of his heart under my palm, and his hand on my cheek, I started envisioning the rest of our life.
Days and moments played out in my mind. Family time, alone time.
Waking up and going to sleep with Rhode next to me.
I wanted it so badly I could see it—I could feel it.
Then I could really feel it when Rhode dropped his mouth on mine.
I opened and our tongues met. A slow glide that sent shivers racing up my spine.
Wanting more, I leaned into Rhode and he gave me what I wanted.
The kiss deepened and turned desperate. I whimpered my approval then suddenly I was up.
I hadn’t felt his hand leave my face nor had I felt his hands go to my hips.
Thankfully I had just enough cognizant thought to wrap my legs around his waist because Rhode was on the move.
I was so enthralled with the taste of him, the way he dominated my mouth, the experience fresh and new but familiar and extraordinary, I didn’t open my eyes to see where he was taking us.
Not that it mattered; I’d go anywhere with Rhode.
We stopped moving. My bottom landed on something hard—the only reason this registered was because now that Rhode was no longer carrying me, his hands were free to roam—and roam they did.
Work-rough and warm, his fingertips abraded the bare skin on my back. His palms skimmed my ribs and moved around front to graze my stomach and didn’t stop until his thumbs hooked the lace of my bra and pulled both cups down simultaneously.
Yes!
And he did all of this without breaking our kiss.
His tongue continued to assault my mouth, leaving me mindless with need.
I arched my back asking for more—no, silently begging for him to hurry.
My pulse was pounding, my core aching, my emotions ran the gamut from turned on to pissed off it was taking so long.
Finally, his thumbs swiped my nipples and I groaned.
Rhode obviously liked my response and went for more.
This time he rolled my nipples and my back bowed in an offering.
Rhode groaned and he tasted so freaking good my pussy spasmed and clit throbbed.
Feeling left out, the lower half of my body got with the program and ground down on his erection.
Yes!
Unfortunately, that was all I got before Rhode halted the festivities. He broke the kiss and rested his forehead against mine.
“Fuck,” he rasped.
Yes, fucking sounds like a great idea.
I wasn’t so brazen I could say that out loud so instead I panted, “More.”
“Oh, you’re gonna get more, Sugar. But the first time I have you is gonna be in a bed where I can take my time.”
I felt that in my pussy, too. I knew what Rhode could do when he had time and the results were mind-blowingly spectacular so I groaned.
Rhode’s head lifted only to drop to my neck and kiss his way up to my ear, sending mini shockwaves through me.
“You remember.”
It wasn’t a question but I still answered.
“Yes.”
“Been five years, baby, but I still taste you on my tongue. Sweet like sugar. Tonight, Brooklyn, I’m claiming it back. All that you gave me that night and more.” Rhode palmed my breasts—not hard, not gentle, somewhere in between. A show of possession. “Been mine all this time.”
Again a statement proving my thoughts true—he owned every inch of me.
“Yes.”
“Tonight, Brooklyn,” he growled those words against my neck like a threat.
“Tonight, Rhode.”
My retort wasn’t growled and it was far too breathy to sound like a threat but I hoped it came out sounding like a promise.
Rhode slowly removed his hands from my breasts, fixed my bra, and pulled my shirt down. He did all of this with his lips on the sensitive skin below my ear and my hands still under his tee, resting on his chest.
“I missed you, Sugar.”
Rhode’s declaration pierced my heart and my fingers curled into his flesh.
“I missed you, too.”
I only had a few hours until Remy’s bedtime and I could show Rhode exactly how much.
On that thought, I said, “We should wake up Remy or he’ll be up all night.”
That turned out to be a horrible idea.
Five hours later it was just after midnight and Remington had finally knocked off, but not before he’d demanded Rhode come upstairs and get into bed with us. Seeing as the guest bed was a full and barely fit me and Remy, Rhode moved us to the master bedroom.
The king-sized bed that dominated the room accommodated the three of us and then some.
Being as Rhode’s cabin was indeed a true log cabin, not a house with faux wood on the outside, the two exterior walls were hand-hewed logs.
The interior walls were drywall therefore they were painted an earthy brown.
The bed was covered in deep blue bedclothes giving the entire room a warm cozy feel which, considering the size of the room, was impressive.
The room was totally Rhode Daley. He fit in this log cabin on the top of a mountain with a scary-as-shit road complete with switchbacks.
He fit in this room full of heavy, masculine furniture with a kickass attached bathroom.
Even the jetted tub and stone shower fit him.
He was comfortable in his home, he looked like he belonged on his mountain.
Where he didn’t belong was in my cookie-cutter house in a neighborhood with postage stamp-size backyards, and while clean and tidy still had traffic, noise, and nosy neighbors.
“Sugar?” he called. I looked over the top of Remy’s head to find Rhode staring down at me.
I was on my side, Remy tucked into the curve of my body. Rhode was on the other side of Remy sitting with his back to the headboard. The last time I’d glanced at Rhode he’d been reading a book; now he was looking at me with his brows pulled together.
“Yeah?”
“You two are safe, yeah?”
“Huh?”
“You’re frowning.”
I was?
“To be expected.” Rhode dipped his chin toward Remy. “We’ll bring it up again tomorrow and work from there.”
Yes, Remy being restless was to be expected and I felt like shit for not thinking of it while I was behaving like a bitch in heat rubbing all over Rhode in his laundry room.
“He’s with his mom, he’s safe, and tomorrow’s a new day,” Rhode continued.
He was right, of course. But what freaked me out was that Rhode didn’t seem to be freaked out. Like living through a drive-by was normal—just like it was any ol’ day and bullets hadn’t been flying.
I wanted to ask why he was so calm but I didn’t dare. Remy might be asleep but I figured he’d sleep lightly and if he woke up I didn’t want him overhearing Rhode's explanation, which was likely to scare the pants off me.
“I like your cabin,” I blurted out. “It suits you.”
Rhode’s head twitched at my abrupt change of topics.
“It should. I built it.”
“Built it or had it built?”