Twelve #2
He’d liked it when she called him “Reuben.” In fact, she’d practically sang “Reuben” while her tight little insides fisted around him and her limbs bucked in release.
He’d worked around the hard shell of disdain Mercy used to keep folk at arm’s length.
He thought he was finally getting close to her.
Hearing “Mr. Darling” drop from her lips now was like taking ten steps backward. “What was wrong with it?”
“Sure ye want to know?” She ran her tongue across her upper teeth and smiled like a cat who’d just licked away the incriminating evidence of stolen cream. The sheet drooped just enough to bare one of her lovely breasts, its rosy nipple still a tight bud.
He was grateful she insisted on leaving the candle burning.
The other women he’d been with—and he could count them on the fingers of one hand—had been shy about being seen in the buff, so he’d had to use his imagination a lot.
Mercy Atwood in the altogether was so much better to look upon than he could have ever imagined.
“I want to know,” Reuben said. If there was a chance he could bed this little minx again, he’d suffer through her criticisms willingly enough.
After all, she criticized nearly everything he did outside the bed.
Why should he expect this to be any different?
He laced his fingers behind his head. “Tell me.”
“Let’s start with the good things first, shall we?
Ye’re a tall, handsome man, but I was afeard ye mightn’t be what ye might call—oh, what was that word milady tried to teach me?
Oh, yes, now I mind it. Proportional. That’s the word.
” She slid a hand under the sheet and fondled his now flaccid member.
“But fortunately for the both of us, ye’re blessed with a fine, big thing. You’re a very proportional fellow.”
“Saints and demons, woman.” He grasped her wrist. It hadn’t even been two minutes yet since he pumped himself dry into her. “Are you trying to kill me?”
“No, just trying to see if ye’re still alive,” she said with a giggle.
To his very great relief, he began to stiffen again under her touch.
“There he is.” She lifted the sheet and blew a kiss to his swelling cock. Her smile was tinged with sweet wickedness. “As I hoped, quick on the ready as well.”
She wiggled down under the covers.
“What are you do—holy God!”
She licked the full length of him and took the head into her hot little mouth.
Reuben had heard of such things, but he never imagined he’d ever have a woman do it for him. Not without paying for her to, in any case. He’d have sworn there wasn’t another drop in him, but now he gritted his teeth to keep from spilling into her sweet mouth.
Then he remembered men used to pay Mercy for this. He didn’t want her thinking he expected it. He reached under the covers and pulled her up for air before the pressure in his shaft reached the point of no return.
“You don’t have to do that,” he said.
“Don’t you like it?”
Not like it? He’d never heard Mercy say anything so monumentally stupid but didn’t think she’d appreciate him pointing it out. After all, between the two of them, she was convinced she was the one with all the brains.
“I like it fine. It’s better than fine. It’s…it’s…” He searched in vain for a word that was big enough, grand enough to let her know she made him feel like a god when she took him in and swirled her tongue over him. Finally, he gave up and blurted out, “I love you.”
Mercy laughed. Not a chuckle. Not a musical giggle. It was a full-throated belly laugh. She clutched her pillow and buried her face in it, lest her laughter bring the whole house down on them.
“What’s so funny?” He sat up in bed and folded his arms across his chest.
“You, you big lummock.” She wiped tears of mirth from her eyes. “First time a girl sucks yer thing and ye fancy yourself in love with her.”
“What makes you think you’re the first?”
“Aren’t I?”
She was, but he wouldn’t give her the satisfaction of telling her so.
“Most girls don’t laugh at a fellow when he offers his heart,” he said testily.
“But I don’t want yer heart, Reuben. Keep it for someone who deserves it.
” She draped her arms around his shoulders and kissed his neck.
“I only want ye in my bed from time to time. Let’s just have fun together.
I’ll teach ye everything I know. We’ll make it to ‘bloody incredible’ in no time.
” She latched onto his earlobe and suckled it a bit.
“Don’t ye think ye could like that fine? ”
Part of him certainly could. His eyes threatened to roll back in his head.
But he really did love Mercy.
He loved her wit and sparkle. He even loved her sharp tongue. He had feelings, he did. For all of her.
And he wasn’t going to settle for less.
“No, Mercy.” With regret, he hauled himself out of bed and began yanking on his clothes. He didn’t dare look anywhere but at his discarded boots, lest his resolve crumble. He balanced on one leg while he tugged on first one, then the other. “Not until you allow that I can teach you something too.”
He heard the sheets rustle and couldn’t help but look up at her. She’d risen to her knees. The sheets were tucked up to her armpits so her nakedness was covered.
But not the nakedness in her face. Pointed chin atremble, eyes just this side of glittering with tears, she’d never looked so like a waif in the gutter.
“What can ye teach me, Mr. Darling?”
He leaned down and pressed a kiss on her forehead. “That you deserve to be loved.”
Reuben closed the door quietly behind him, but before the latch snicked, he could’ve sworn he heard a soft sob.