“When I watched you mentor the kids, I developed a huge crush on you. You’re the big brother they all wish they had. You’re so incredibly patient and good with them. Then, there’s this extremely, phenomenally hard body of yours”—Elle runs her hands across and down my shoulders and arms as she talks—“that I was mesmerized by and drawn to. When I got to watch you go at it with the other guys—like Reese and Talon—and you really dished out your skill, every muscle in your body coiled and rippled, it was all I could do to hold it together.” Her voice drops to a whisper. “I’d go home at night and touch myself thinking of you.”
My mouth falls open, my balls tighten, and my cock grows at the very thought. I don’t even know what to say, and that’s fucking rare!
“Don’t look so shocked, Connor Callahan.” Her hands tickle down my chest and I can hardly breathe. “And your tats. You wear your thoughts and beliefs on your skin. You’re not ashamed to put yourself out there or let others see it. This tattoo…” She traces the swooping letters as she reads the words aloud. “‘I am my brother’s keeper.’ I used to wonder if that was truly your religion. You made me want to find out… everything about you. Then I heard the story of how your religion came to be and discovered you were my Con… and during this time, I got to know the real you. The man that you are.” She looks into my eyes, and the intensity is unreal.
The man I am… my religion. This is what she thinks of me, how she sees me.
Elle tries to take a deep, settling breath, but tears well up in her eyes. She quickly blinks them away, but not before I see them.
These are her feelings toward me.
She makes light of herself. “I ran out of words.”
Overcome with emotion, I cup her beautiful face between my hands and kiss her tenderly. I’m not used to feeling so deeply for a woman.
“Your good opinion and your faith in me… mean everything.” I’m choking up. I’m afraid I’ll say the wrong thing and mess up this moment. I want her words to sink in and to believe them.
The man I am… my religion.
I’ve had a few women tell me they “loved” me. But it wasn’t real for me. I never felt it. I never said it back. Not once.
But this—Elle’s acceptance of me and knowing the way she feels—the approval, from her… feels exactly like the kind of love I’ve always wanted. Yearned for. At this moment, it eases the pain of the abandonment I’ve suffered that still haunts me and the ache of not feeling whole. Of feeling alone.
With Elle, I don’t feel alone. I experience what that wholeness could be like.
I very much sought after her acceptance; I know the woman she is, and I respect her so profoundly.
How do you tell someone they’re the first thing you think about when you open your eyes in the morning and the very last thought you have before you fall asleep? That you’re developing feelings that make you want them, more than breath?
Reaching my hand under the pendant, I let it rest over my palm for a moment, then kiss it too, ever so grateful.
I gaze back into her eyes, wanting to show her how much I feel for her. I decide to use my body. It might not get me in as much trouble as my mouth.
“You know, you made me ridiculously hard when you told me you touched yourself while thinking of me.”
“Oh, I did, did I?” she plays along.
“Check for yourself,” I challenge.
She reaches her hand between us and finds my cock. First her fingers gently caress it and she tickles the head. Then she fists it, then begins gliding her palm up and down, stroking me.
“I’m feeling rather proud of myself.”
“You should.” My forehead falls to rest against hers as the pleasure pulls through my guts and tightens my balls. I groan.
“Yeah, my imagination wasn’t nearly big enough.” She giggles.
That strokes my ego as well as my favorite appendage. “I could never get enough of you, Elle.”
The smile she gives me is so perfect.
Everything within me craves her, and the word spills out the only semi-safe way I can let it, but I wonder if she’ll see right through me: “Let me make love to you again.”
“I thought you’d never ask.”
“Give me this.” I pull her hand from me, turn it over and lay kisses across her palm. Then I lift her over my cock, grab hold of the shaft and stroke it through her slickness. “Baby, I crave you.”
The sensation of her brings me to the edge of delirium.
“Oh shit. Condom,” I remember as I reach over to where I tossed the pack earlier and slip another over my shaft. “I can’t wait to be inside of you again.” I sink myself slowly into her heat. Having her facing me, sitting on my lap, completely curled around me, her tits against my chest, her nipples hardening, is exciting and intoxicating. “Tell me if I go too fast. I don’t want to hurt you.”
“I’ll… let you… know.” She bites her bottom lip as I push up inside her.
I grip her ass to move and maneuver her where I want her.
Deeper, harder… The tip of my dick bumping her cervix.
“You’re so deep,” she cries in pleasure.
“Oh yeah, wrap your sweet pussy around me.” I thrust inside her, squeezing her hips in my hands, controlling our rhythm. Her tits bounce lusciously, and I suck each one into my mouth, making her moan. Her cunt spasms, squeezing my dick.
Our hips and thighs smack together. Our breaths become nothing but gasps and moans. Her pussy milks my cock, my ejaculation like electricity courses through me, radiating, racing up and down my spine, my balls, my dick.
“Come with me, Elle.” My voice is throaty.
“Yes!”
We climax together, riding out the waves. Her head falls against my shoulder as she catches her breath.
Suddenly, the reality of the scene slams into me. We’re so close, skin on skin. Our sweat mixes. I feel her heart beating in her chest. And I know, I don’t want to let go.
I don’t ever want to let go.
I’m so caught up in her, in this miracle of us finding each other again, of her being in my arms, in my bed, wrapped around me in every possible way.
This is making love, like it never has been before.
I know because it feels like we’re becoming one.
“I have to go to work.”
“No, you don’t.” I stand up and swoop in fast, grabbing her clothes as the morning sunlight floods through the windows of the hotel room.
Elle rolls over, swings her legs over the side of the bed, then groans painfully. “Oh my God, my legs!” She rubs up and down the muscles of her thighs.
“Told you,” I remind her, fully pleased with my handiwork.
With determination, she narrows her eyes and scrunches up her nose in the cutest way.
“I have to.” She barely stands before her bottom falls back to the bed with a bounce. “They feel like Jell-O.”
“You know, you fell asleep on me last night… literally,” I add, beaming proudly as I kneel beside the bed to capture her eyes. I tickle up her knee to her thigh. “Admittedly, after I pounded your tender pussy into pure ecstasy and gave you so many orgasms I lost count.”
“Yes, you did.” She blushes and smiles shyly, nostalgically. “Best sex I’ve ever had.”
Big ego swell. “Me too.”
“I want to do it again, right now.” She sweeps her hands through her hair, then hurriedly hides her face. “AGH! I must look terrible. Mascara under my eyes, makeup smeared, dragon breath!”
“Elle,”—I gently pry her fingers away until they’re tangled with mine—“you’re beautiful.”
Her eyes get melty as she gazes into mine.
“Stay with me. Call in or do a conference call for a client if you have no choice, but stay. I’ll book the room for another night. I can pamper you with a personal massage.” I indicate the table. “I ordered room service already, a champagne breakfast. And if you’d like we could dine in the restaurant later this evenin
g.”
She considers me. “You know I want to say yes.”
“Then do it.”
“But if my boss needs me—”
“Baby, I need you.” I growl, take her hand and place it onto my morning hard-on. Her eyes grow wide, sparking with excitement. “You’re like me, you work all the time. I know you’re out there saving the world, but you have to take care of yourself too. A day off—with me—will do you good.”
“Okay, I’ll do it!” she exclaims. “Just let me hobble to the bathroom, then we’ll take care of this.” She strokes my cock.
I lend her a hand until she’s steady on her legs. “I made a pot of coffee.”
“I knew I smelled some.” She nods. “Coffee sounds good.”
“I knew you’d think so, princess. I’ll make you a mug.”
Wrapping herself in the sheet, she walks slowly and whimpers. “Oh, my thighs… and other… places.”
I turn away quickly, filled with masculine pride.
“Don’t even think for a second I can’t tell you’re smiling.”
“Sorry, sunshine.”
“Yeah, yeah, job very well done. But I might need you to carry me the bathroom.”
I stride over to offer her assistance.
“I’m kidding!” She rolls her eyes. “Jeesh.”
Still, I watch her hobble, attempting to stretch out as she goes.
I pour her coffee, add two stevia and make it light with coconut milk I’d special ordered with the breakfast before she woke. Just the way she takes it. “Coffee’s up.”
“Thanks,” she calls through the closed door.
Lowering myself slowly to the chair at the small breakfast table, I contemplate the moment.
Elle and I spent the night together. She’s here, in the bathroom. Wrapped in a bedsheet. Her dress hangs over the back of the chair. She’ll wash her face, brush her hair and leave the cap off the toothpaste. I smile to myself. I know because of our week at North House.
I like that, the knowing. Being familiar.
When she comes out, she looks like a Grecian goddess: draped in white fabric, her wavy blond hair brushed to fall over one shoulder.
She sits on the chair opposite me. “Hmm…” she breathes in the aroma of her coffee, sees the Stevia packets and the small container of coconut milk and smiles. “The coffee is perfect, just the way I like it.”
“Mmm-hmm.” I lean in.
“I texted my supervisor. She’s good with me taking the day off.”
“Yes!” I fist pump.
She smiles a bit guiltily. “Yeah, she’s accepted that I’m on my way out of The Defender, becoming full time with North House and The Core soon. With having stayed at North House for the last week and the wedding yesterday, she was prepared.”
I lift the silver tops from the buffet I ordered.
“Are you happy about the change?” I stuff over half a chocolate raspberry croissant in my mouth.
“Completely.” She smiles and giggles a bit. “You have chocolate raspberry…” Elle wipes her thumb across the side of my lips to capture the wayward ingredients, then sucks it off her own thumb. Her eyes stay on me as she does.
“You are so incredibly fucking sexy,” I marvel, my dick reminding me it’s hard as hell. Knowing she’s way too sore for any antics this morning, I jump away from the table to get the blood pumping elsewhere. “Eat something and tell me what you’d like to do today.”
“Hmm… I don’t know.” She reaches over and takes the other half of my croissant. “You have any suggestions?”
“More than a few.” I gather my stuff for the bathroom. “How about we start off with a shower?”
“That would feel good on my muscles.” She finishes the croissant and moves onto a piece of quiche. “Oh my God, everything is so delicious. Have you tried this yet?”
I shake my head and come closer. She places a piece up to my mouth and I take a bite. “Damn, that is good.”
“Another?”
“You’re going to hand feed me?”
“Maybe.”
I open my mouth and this time she playfully shoves the egg pie into my mouth and smashes it over my face.
“Oh, you’re so going to pay for that!” I mumble around the food as I chew it and chase her to the bed.
Elle falls to the mattress, bemoaning her aching thighs as I climb on top of her and pin her arms and legs to the bed, both of us laughing.
“What are you going to do?” she challenges.
“Give you a taste of your own medicine.” At that, I crush my face over hers, smearing the quiche onto the both of us as she screams and howls with laughter.
Once she’s thoroughly decorated with the mess, and squirming wildly, I eat it off her face, making sure to kiss and nip at her lips every now and again.
When both of us are breathless from laughing, I take hold of her eyes with mine. Yeah, I think. I could get used to this.
“Oh my God, that was so gross!” She says, laughing.
“Yeah, you liked it,” I tease, still holding her down.
“Maybe.” She giggles.
“Stay here. I know what to do next.” Leaving her on the bed, I jaunt to the bathroom and grab a warm washcloth. I come back and gently wipe her face, then scrub my own.
Elle props herself up on her elbows and kisses me. In response, I press her back to the bed, taking her mouth with mine and kissing her long and hard.
“Flip over,” I order. “Onto your belly. And lay comfortably.”
She considers me suspiciously but does it.
Holding my own weight, I climb over top of her and begin to massage her, kneading her shoulders and working my hands down her back.
“Connor, that feels incredible.” She hums as she melts under my hands, her body relaxing.
“You’re tight—in many places—but you shouldn’t be so tight in your shoulders. You carry your stress.”
“I’m worried about the kids,” she discloses. “Worried about Prescott’s next move. Yoga’s been a proven way for me to reduce the stress in my life, but this… well…”
“I get it,” I sympathize. “It goes beyond the norm.”
I work the knots under her shoulder blades, then make my way back up the sides of her spine until I feel her back muscles soften.
Soon, I work my way to her ass, spread her legs and rub out her painful thighs. She groans with a different kind of ecstasy than the one I was serving up last night. Of course, my cock doesn’t know the difference and rises in my shorts.
“Are you… always this amazing?” she purrs.
“I don’t know. I’ve never met anyone I wanted to be amazing for. Guess as long as you think I am, I’m doing something right.”
She rolls onto her back, so beautiful all tangled in the bedsheet with a look of euphoria coloring her face. “Have you already re-booked the room?”
“Not yet, why?”
“I thought of something I’d like to do.”
“Oh yeah? What’s that?”
“I wouldn’t mind seeing where you live.”
“You want to go to my place?” She couldn’t possibly know how much that thrills me. It could mean she’s checking me out on a deeper level. “I’d like that.”
We take separate showers. She suggested we could take one together, but there was no way my cock could handle the close proximity of her sweet pussy. As it was, the hard on I’d had since waking up next to her would’ve ached through the rest of the day if I hadn’t taken a few minutes to deal with it on my own.
Now, she’s wearing a pretty, dark blue embroidered peasant shirt that compliments her eyes, with a pair of dark ass-hugging jeans and tan knee-high boots. Her hair falls in a soft damp twist over one shoulder.
No matter what she’s wearing, from her yoga outfits that define her delicious curves, or the skimpy, silky little number she wore to the wedding, to her worn, faded New Mexico tee shirt she likes to wear when she’s relaxing, she’s always knockout, drop-dead, bombshe
ll gorgeous.
“I can’t believe how much better my body feels since your massage. You worked magic,” she compliments as I open the passenger door of my car for her.
I lean into her ear and breathe hotly. “Just wait for the magic I’m going to work tonight once you’re feeling better.”
A splash of blush paints across her cheekbones.
Now, that’s the perfect color on her.
“You live near the dog park,” Elle marvels as we pass the expansive green space that’s covered with snow, where Bear and Samson got acquainted after our tragic meeting at the courthouse.
“Yeah, Liam and Quinn and Talon live nearby. Plus, it’s close to The Core, North House and the tat shop. That way I’m never far from home.”
“Anya’s place isn’t more than ten miles from here.”
“See that, we’re practically neighbors.”
“Hmm…”
I decide not to chase that hmm and take a different route. “Why do you call it Anya’s place? You pay rent there, right? Don’t you consider it your home too?”
Elle shrugs and shakes her head. “I’ve been searching for an affordable place… at least three bedrooms.”
“Three bedrooms?” I already know where she’s going with this.
She nods. “No place is going to feel like home until they’re in it.”
“How has the search been going?”
“I’ve put out my line, but no bites yet.” Her tone is sad, laced with frustration. “I have excellent credit and I’ve saved enough working at The Defender for a deposit and first three months of rent—and once I transition to working full time for Cade and Debra, I’ll have enough coming in to cover expenses myself.”
“I don’t understand the problem.”
“I haven’t found the right place yet. And…” Elle hesitates.
“And what?”
“I can’t tell you.”
I snort. “What? Why?”
“Because it sounds like a conspiracy theory.”
“You’ve got my curiosity piqued.”
She sighs. “Prescott has a lot of real estate holdings in this city.” She quickly checks for my reaction.
“You think he’s blocking you?”
Risk: An Enemies to Lovers, Second Chance Romance Standalone (Brothers of Ink and Steel) Page 22