Chapter 19
Alexia
My life had been fraught with misery.
I’d tried to deny it, years of doing so and I’d believed I could hide the pain that tormented me every day. Yet now I knew better. I’d be lying to myself if I said I was remotely happy or even content. That simply wasn’t true.
How did I know?
Because the moment I’d walked up to Maverick’s table, the swell of emotions had been overwhelming. Even with the increasing danger and the confirmation that the killer was still out there, all I could concentrate on was the handsome author.
I dove into the water and the rush of cold was thrilling, jolts of current dancing across my naked skin. What had prompted me into craving time in the pool was beyond me. Now I was glad I’d made the decision.
I’d pontificated basic bullshit about being taught to live again, even a little recklessly. I’d done nothing remotely careless in my entire life. In fact, it had been structured from morning until night. No room for error. Or emotion.
After spending months of fading into bouts of depression, discovering cold hard structure had pulled me from the great depths of hell. The Python Killer hadn’t taken my life, but he had taken my heart and soul.
Maybe tonight I was reclaiming a tiny portion of it.
As soon as I swam up from the depths, breaching the surface of the water, I expected to see Maverick standing there waiting. Maybe with an admonishing look on his face. He was nowhere to be seen. I turned in a full circle, churning up the water as I did. I thought I’d seen him walking out.
Yes, I had.
My heart thudded several times as my pulse ticked inside of my clenched jaw. I twirled again, now racing toward the set of stairs.
Another rush of emotions tore through me as I was jerked backward through the water.
And directly into a set of strong arms.
“What are you doing?” I smacked my hand against his chest, shaking my head from seeing the wide grin on his face. He could be the most difficult man I’d ever known, but he could also be extremely playful.
The combination kept my mind at odds.
“Did you miss me?” he asked, cradling me against him.
He truly thought he could tame me. What were the odds that was possible? And why was it that I wanted him to try?
“You are a terrible man. You should know better than to sneak up on a woman like that.”
“Sneak up. This is my house. My pool. I’m not in a habit of sneaking up on anyone.”
He swung me around again while the water lapped over us. In the shimmer of the moon, his features were more pronounced.
I felt comfortable in his arms, protected. He would never allow anything to happen to me. The man was also fighting demons furrowing deep inside. The two of us had been brought together by tragedy, drawn together by my curiosity and entangled by a series of emotions neither one of us could control.
In truth, I’d never wanted to be as close to anyone as I did with him. Never.
His smile slowly faded as he eased me to my feet, one hand cupping my jaw while he slipped his arm around my waist. I was light on my feet as he jerked me close, crushing the full weight of his body against mine, but in the water, we were equals.
Only he was a giant even though I was standing on my toes. I rolled my palms up and over his shoulders, clasping my fingers together. His hold was so possessive, but I adored his actions and the way his fingers dug into my skin.
As he lowered his head, the tickling sensations from his hot breath created a swooning moment.
We were out under the stars, the almost full moon creating a stunning light show.
Warm breeze tickled our skin, tousling our hair and creating goosebumps at least on my arms. His were too rugged, too muscular to display the hint of chill in the air even on a perfect humid night.
In being with him, I could allow a little of the world to fade away, content with understanding that I couldn’t control everything, including portions of my own destiny. I’d tried so hard to keep everything in order, but the messiness was everything I’d craved.
And everything I found in letting go with this man.
This handsome, dangerous, powerful man.
I was thrown into another moment of being completely lightheaded when he crushed his mouth over mine. The holding pattern was scintillating, awakening every sense, including ones I hadn’t known I had.
He lifted me off my feet and without needing to be told what to do, I wrapped both legs around his. He spun us around once again and the way his cock pressed against my stomach formed several circles of light in front of my eyes.
Teasing him, I pushed the tip of my tongue against his lips, but he was having none of my trying to take control. When he thrust his tongue all the way inside, I moaned into the kiss. I’d never felt so light, so on air as I did at that moment.
The kiss became a passionate roar as his actions became rougher, needier.
I tangled my fingers in his hair as he explored every centimeter of my mouth.
When he finally broke the kiss, I was far too lightheaded to do anything but take deep breaths.
He pressed his forehead against mine while rubbing his hand down my back.
Tiny prickles of electricity tumbled through every muscle straight into my core.
I was on fire, every muscle aching with need and longing. His chest rose and fell, his cock throbbing as it tickled my stomach.
“God, what you do to me.”
“What do I do?”
He lifted his head, his eyes hooded. “Make me fucking crazy.”
I slipped my hand between us, wrapping my fingers around his thick shaft, the tiny whimper escaping my throat bringing another smile to his face. I rolled my hand up and down until I created friction.
“Crazy, huh?” My murmur was barely audible, but he heard every syllable.
“Be careful or I’ll need to teach you all over again who’s boss.”
“You just think you are.” I squeezed his cockhead until he let out a rough growl. Now the look in his eye was primal, a man whose hunger knew no bounds.
“I know I am.” He grabbed my fingers, squeezing them while guiding the tip between my legs. As he rolled his cockhead up and down my slickened folds, I threw my head back, studying the sky as several breathless moans slipped past my lips.
He didn’t waste any time. The moment he thrust the entire length of his cock inside I let out a sharp cry. Without hesitation, he fisted my hair, forcing me to stare into his eyes. He shifted his hips back and forth until he was fully seated inside before pulling almost all the way out.
His playful side was one I adored, but not tonight. I needed his big, fat cock buried deep inside. He wasn’t letting me off that easily, yanking my head down, forcing my back into a deep arc and my breasts completely exposed.
There was nothing like the heated sensations of his hot, wet mouth as he wrapped his lips around my aching nipple.
I clawed his arm, every inch quivering as he sucked and nipped my tender tissue. He took his sweet time, rubbing his lips to my other breast, dragging the tip of his tongue along the underside before swirling it around my fully taut bud.
“You taste so sweet,” he muttered and plunged into me again. The swell of water rushing over us made me laugh.
There was no reason to be nervous around him, not after everything we’d been through, but I found myself anxious. Maybe because as he continued getting closer, I was forced to face the strong set of emotions threatening to dredge up memories.
With his fingers still firmly entangled in my hair, he eased back until I was looking him straight in the eyes once again.
“So fucking beautiful.” He whispered the words as if just experiencing our connection for the first time. He wasn’t about to let me go, his hips moving as he rocked against me. Together, we developed a rhythm, bucking just enough the water lapped over our heated bodies.
His eyes never left mine as if he was searching my soul for something only I could provide.
Forgiveness.
I clamped my legs against his, gripping his shoulders as he fucked me. I’d never felt such tremendous pleasure in being with a man.
He wasn’t gentle, the passion exploding between us. My body responded, the ache building as another series of electric vibrations danced all the way to my toes. I was blown away when an orgasm rushed up from the depths of my being.
“Oh. Oh… My… God.”
He rubbed the flat of his hand down my back and I’d be damned if the ruthless man didn’t crack his hand against my bottom not once but four times.
The combination of pain and pleasure rolled through me like a freight train.
The single orgasm swept into a tidal wave, leaving me breathless and no longer able to feel my toes.
He wasn’t interested in stopping, still fucking me as he took long strides toward the edge of the pool.
His touch was enigmatic, the warm breezes adding to the rush of heat already turning into a wildfire.
With no effort, he hoisted me onto the edge of the pool, running his fingers along the insides of my legs.
Every sound guttural, primal and hungry, he lifted and bent my knees, spreading me wide open. My skin was covered in tiny prickles, every muscle jumping involuntarily from his light touch. For a rough and tumble man, I’d learned he could be very gentle.
“Touch yourself,” he commanded. “Pinch your nipples for me.” He rolled the flat of his hand down one leg, rubbing my arched foot. I had my toes pointed, struggling to breathe normally. For some insane reason, I suddenly had a sense of embarrassment. As if anyone could see us here.
When I didn’t respond immediately, he blew across my pussy lips, the action creating a wave of tingles so powerful I couldn’t breathe. I’d never been one to let myself go, enjoying a moment of passion with anyone. Other than in the dark. Other than behind closed doors.
And I’d never acted out on my darker desires. It had seemed wrong, filthy, and sinful.