Truck Stop Tempest

by Daniels, Krissy

  As I wiggled my butt into the seat, he warned, “Be careful. It goes really high.”

  Oh, Lord. He was already protective like his father and uncles.

  “I’ll be careful.”

  Rocky gave me a shove. I barely moved. He pushed again, putting his full weight into the motion. I helped with a leg pump.

  “Stand back, Rockster,” Tito’s gruff voice commanded. The swing jerked to a halt. “This girl’s gonna fly.” Tito pulled me back, then gave a hard shove. My body jetted toward the lake, then up toward the blue sky.

  My stomach fell on the backswing, and when Tito pushed again, my insides fluttered and laughter erupted from my gut. Tito stepped aside and stood, arms crossed, watching me with his gorgeous smirk. Rocky stood at his side, mimicking the pose. The two of them were talking, but I couldn’t hear their words through the whooshes of air.

  It wasn’t until Tango joined us that I stopped pumping my legs so I could slow enough to stop. My entire body buzzed. My head swam. My stomach seemed to float. Tito stepped to my side and helped me stop completely. I wasn’t ready to get off yet.

  “My turn! My turn!” Rocky hopped on the balls of his feet.

  Tango hoisted the little boy atop his shoulders in one swift move. “Lunch first, little man.” He shot me a wink. “Happy you’re back, Tuuli. Everyone’s inside. Come and eat.”

  “Nope.” Tito threw an arm around my waist and hoisted me off the swing, not letting my feet touch the ground. “Bunny and I have a date.”

  “We do?”

  “We do.”

  The world spun and I landed over his shoulder with an embarrassing “Oomph.”

  “Tell everyone we said goodbye,” he shouted.

  Tango only laughed.

  Rocky yelled, “Bye Toodaloo!”

  “Tito. Wait—”

  His large hand landed hard on my rump, silencing any protest.

  “Ow!” I laughed, stretching my arm to slap him back, his hard muscle offering no give.

  We reached the car. Tito crouched to lower me to my feet. Before I could gain my bearings, warm hands cupped my jaw, tilting my face to the perfect angle for a lip-lock, giving me a taste of the mouth I’d missed so much.

  Tito was all muscle, tongue, and heavenly noises, walking me backward until my butt hit the Mustang, never once relenting, using every available body part to work me into a frenzy.

  The sun beat down on our fused bodies, warming my skin, but sweet Lord, my insides were molten. The air we shared, ripe with the aroma of fresh cut grass, pine trees, and sweaty sunbaked skin, only added fuel to my fire.

  Days of driving had made me weary. One touch from my Grim and every stiff muscle sparked with new energy. My soul buzzed with joy and hope, every cell in my body felt bubbly and free.

  Oh, thank you, Jesus. I was free.

  We were free. Free from her tormentors. Free of my demons. Free to move on, start fresh. Start building our life together.

  We rode the elevator hand in hand, anticipation a living, breathing entity, plucking my nerves with spindly fingers. Tuuli hadn’t been to the penthouse since I’d made it mine. Aside from my office, I’d only bought furniture for the bedroom, hoping that someday she would call the space her home, too, and then we could decorate together, a touch of Tuuli here, a hint of me there. I couldn’t wait.

  We stepped inside, my palms sweaty.

  “No furniture?” she asked, toeing off her shoes.

  Not yet, little beast. “I’ll get around to it. Hungry?”

  “A little.” She sauntered around the kitchen island, running her fingers across the smooth granite, a contemplative purse to her lips. The pink T-shirt dress she wore reached mid-thigh and that creamy skin did a number on my libido. She paused, her left heel bouncing on the floor.

  Damn, I’d missed her nervous tics “What is it?”

  “I start classes soon.”

  “I know.” I shifted, fighting an erection. “I can’t wait to help you study.”

  “Between work and school, I’ll barely have time to eat and sleep.”

  My insides shifted something fierce, my boner no longer an issue. “You’re worried about us?”

  Those electric eyes flashed, then softened, shoulders dropping. “No.” She moved around the counter and grabbed my hand. “I’m not worried about us at all. You’re the only constant, the only part of my life I have no doubts about.”

  Thank fuck. “What is it then?”

  Stepping closer still, she tilted her head, studying my face. “I had a lot of time to think on my drive home. About us. About my future.” Wrinkles formed on her small forehead. “We’ve been through so much.” Her grip on my hand tightened. “Each of us. On our own. Together.”

  “What are you trying to say?”

  “I’m going to start seeing a therapist. Everything that’s bouncing around in here.” She stepped back and tapped her head. “It’s too much. I can’t sort it on my own.”

  A rush of air left my lungs. God, my girl. So much stronger than me in every way that counted.

  She blinked up at me, shy but determined. “I think you should see someone, too.”

  “You’re all the therapy I need.” I flashed a playful grin, then an eyebrow wiggle, raking my gaze up and down the length of her tight little body.

  “Tito. Please. I’m serious.”

  So was I. “I’ll think about it.” I’d never considered a shrink, but hell, anything to make my bunny happy.

  “Thank you,” she sighed, those lines in her forehead disappearing.

  The smile she flashed warmed me in all the right places. I wanted more. “Come upstairs. I want to show you something.”

  We ascended the steps two-by-two, bypassed my bedroom, and hit the stairs leading to the rooftop deck. When we reached the glass slider, I blocked her view. “Close your eyes. Don’t open until I say so.”

  Heel bouncing, hips shaking, she squeezed her eyes closed.

  I led her across the deck. Settled her into position. Stole a kiss. Whispered, “You can look now.” I nodded over my shoulder and stepped out of the way.

  Her eyes lit up, putting the blue sky at her back to shame.

  Suspended from an overhanging beam, a double swing constructed of rope and cedar dangled between the hot tub and a cluster of potted plants. Tuuli stepped closer, brushing her fingers over the carved letters on the seat. BUNNY on her side. BEAST on mine.

  “It’s beautiful,” she murmured, head dropping low. “I can’t believe you did this.” She gripped the ropes, sliding her hands up their length before turning to sit. Closing her eyes against the warm breeze and bright sun, she lifted her face, angelic, and so fucking beautiful, my breath hitched. “C’mon. What’re you waiting for?”

  I claimed my side of the swing, gripping the rope tight, my hand above hers, fingers touching. My feet rested firmly on the ground. Hers dangled, toes dusting the Ipe decking.

  With a slow push, I got us moving. Soon, we soared. Tuuli’s laughter pierced me, arrow after arrow through the chest. On the upswing, we seemed to float over the lake. The backswing made my stomach drop, forcing nervous laughter from my own chest.

  Fuck. I felt like a fucking kid again. A boy with no weight on his chest. No demons to darken his soul. No worries to steal his whimsy.

  When we finally slowed to a stop, Tuuli rested her cheek on the rope, liquid eyes staring up at me, a lazy grin highlighting perfect, rosy cheeks.

  “That was fun,” I admitted, head spinning, heart racing.

  “Thank you.” She leaned forward, lips dusting mine, and whispered, “I fucking love you, Tito Moretti.”

  A series of explosions erupted in my chest. “You just said fuckin’ again.”

  With a shrug, she teased, “You bring out the best in me.”

  God, the things I wanted to do with her not-so-dirty mouth. “I really need to kiss you now.”

  “I need to do more than kiss you, but I’ve been driving for days. I need a shower.”

/>   Damn, that devilish glint in her eyes.

  I leaned forward, intent on ravaging that mouth despite her plea. Tuuli shoved me away, hopped off the swing, then dashed around the hot tub and through the door, a wave of wild, white hair flowing behind her.

  I followed her trail of discarded clothing, my cock growing harder, pulse beating faster with each step. Tuuli was already under the spray when I entered the bathroom, the large glass enclosure leaving nothing to the imagination. My bunny, on full display, her perky tits, that small waist, and those lean, creamy legs.

  “Tito,” she said, voice high, lit with wonder. “You have my favorite shampoo in here.”

  “I do.” I ditched my shoes.

  “Girlie soap, too.”

  “Yep.” I yanked off my shirt, tossed it aside.

  “And ladies’ razors?”

  “Yes.”

  “Why?”

  “Just in case.” I nixed my shorts and joined my girl.

  She bent at the waist, one foot propped on the stool, and dragged a razor up her soapy leg. I turned on the second shower head and stepped under the warm flow, my guts, my ticker, my gray matter, a muddy fucking mess of emotion.

  I didn’t wash, intent on savoring every second of the show.

  Humming a tune I didn’t recognize, Tuuli finished her left leg and went to work on the right, her ass aimed my direction, no inhibitions, offering a view I was not worthy of, but damn well grateful for.

  My steel-hard cock throbbed like a greedy son of a bitch. I gave it a stroke, hoping to appease the bastard. He only wanted more.

  Tuuli set the razor back on the shelf and threw an inviting smile over her shoulder before stepping under the spray. I closed in, wrapping my arms around her middle, cupping those tempting breasts, and pressing my raging hard-on between us.

  Her head rolled to the side, offering her sweet skin like a feast for the starving. I wasted no time tasting her shoulder, her neck, that sensitive spot behind her ear. The moan that rose from her throat set my blood on fire.

  “Baby,” I whispered against her neck. “I need you.”

  “I’m yours, take me,” I begged, the contrast of his soft lips and scratchy beard driving me mad.

  A deep, needy moan rumbled from his chest.

  Seeking more, I arched my back, forcing my butt against his hard body, my chest harder into his grip. I loved the way he held me—resolute, tense, hungry, and vibrating with restraint.

  A strong hand slid down my stomach, lower still, stopping when his palm cupped my sex and one finger slid along my folds, playing me in slow strokes, up and down, soft, then firm, forcing blood and need to the bundle of nerves that had the power to destroy me from the inside out.

  One strong finger slid inside. I moaned, grinding against the friction.

  Tito mumbled profanities into my neck, then turned me around and took my mouth, the silk of his tongue tangling with mine, his arms a vise around my waist, melding us together. The kiss ended too soon, his mouth moving down my neck to my chest, then lower, lower, nipping my waist, my stomach, my navel. Tito dropped to his knees, worshiping every inch of my skin with his lips, his hands, his heady profanities.

  I curled my fingers through his wet hair. His eyes lifted to mine, lids half mast, dark with lust.

  I swear he smiled before burying his face between my thighs, his tongue plunging between my folds. No playing around or working me up, he went straight to the main event, attacking my clit with tongue and teeth, sucking, then flicking, then grazing. My head fell back, my hips thrust forward, my legs weakened.

  Strong fingers bruised my thighs. My lids slammed shut. I couldn’t watch, the scene too much. His strong body, wide shoulders, wild hair, strong jaw working to please me.

  He squeezed my inner thigh, urging me to open for him. I lifted my leg over his shoulder. He moaned in appreciation, diving deeper, his tongue moving lower, then inside me, a slow, heavenly penetration.

  “Fuck. Fuck. Fuck,” escaped my lips, driven by shameless abandon.

  My loss of control snapped his last string of restraint, and he ducked his free shoulder, forcing my other leg up and over, and then he was standing, holding my hips, working his tongue inside me. My shoulders hit the cold tile, bracing me, and I was helpless to do anything but ride him, writhe against his face, absorb his sweet assault.

  I ached. I burned. Nerve endings hypersensitive. Every muscle in my body coiled tight, to the breaking point, then released in one painful, soul-shattering, colorful explosion.

  My cries ricocheted off the tiled walls. I dug into his scalp. My thighs tightened around his head. Tito absorbed my thrusts, licking and kissing through every electric pulse, riding the wave until it crashed to shore, a slow, shallow, ebb and flow.

  “Fuck, that was beautiful,” he rasped, sliding me down his body, stopping at his waist. “Curl those sexy legs around me.”

  I was a hot mess of skin and liquid bones. “I need a second to recover,” I begged, although my legs obeyed his command, coiling around his small waist, bringing my core flush against his erection.

  “Fuck, Bunny.” He reached between us and positioned himself at my opening. I shifted my hips, eager for the stretch, hungry for his heat, greedy for the friction.

  Hopelessly addicted to the connection.

  Skin against skin. Breath to breath. Heartbeat for heartbeat.

  He rolled his hips, entering me slow and steady, pulling my bottom lip between his teeth.

  “Don’t go slow,” I begged.

  “I want to cherish you.”

  “Fuck me now, cherish me later.” I nipped his ear. “We have all night.”

  He pulled away, bracing me with one arm under my hips, cupping my jaw with the other. “We have the rest of our lives, you mean.” A statement, rough and possessive, but I caught the flash of worry on his face.

  Dear God, his vulnerability was a beautiful thing.

  “Tell me that’s true, Tito. Tell me we’re forever.”

  “You want forever, baby?” He slammed inside me, then stilled. “I’ll give you forever. I’ll give you fuckin’ eternity.”

  I curled my arms around his neck and rocked my hips, begging him to finish what he started.

  The talking ended. Worry evaporated. His beast came out to play.

  “THANKS, TUULI.” PASTOR DAVIES curled an arm around his wife and waved goodbye as they shuffled through the door, the cowbell giving a hearty rattle.

  I waved. Delivered the fish and chips basket to table five, then checked the clock, my heart sinking with every shift of the red hand.

  Tito and Tucker had been due home late last night. He’d sent a short text around midnight saying they were delayed, and I hadn’t heard anything since.

  Morgan, our new waitress, skirted around me, balancing a tray of empty plates, at the same time a group of loud, sun-kissed teens barreled through the door, roughing each other up and not paying attention to their surroundings. The largest of the group bumped into Morgan and sent her tray flying across the floor with a terrible clatter.

  His face pinked with embarrassment, hers reddened in anger. They bumped heads, squatting at the same time to pick up the mess.

  “Jesus. I’m so sorry.” The boy hurried to stand and offered a hand.

  Morgan swatted him away. “Step back. Just find a table. I’ll get this.”

  I came to her aid at the same time Charlie barreled through the door, aiming his don’t-fuck-with-me glare at the testosterone posse.

  “Get these boys a seat, Toodaloo. I’ll get the mess.”

  Had to give the tall kid credit. He didn’t back down. Ignoring Charlie altogether, he dropped right back to his haunches and picked up every last dish he’d sent flying, despite the death stares Morgan aimed straight through his skull.

  I settled his friends in the corner booth, checked on table six, then headed back to the rowdy boys.

  “What can I get you to drink?”

  They rattled off their orders, heads bo
wed in worship over their phones. As I headed to the counter, one of them mumbled, “Holy shit. I’d love to come all over that pretty face.”

  My spine stiffened.

  A loud slam made me jump.

  Someone yelled, “Jesus. Fuck. Shit.”

  I whirled around. Tito stood behind one of the boys, the mouthy one, I assumed, hand on his head, smashing his cheek into the table.

  “Hey, Bunny.” A playful smile greeted me.

  I would never tire of the palpitations that hit every time I laid eyes on that face. “Grim.”

  “C’mere, baby.” He jerked his sexy chin, gesturing me closer.

  You could’ve heard a pin drop. I glanced around the diner and yep, all eyes were aimed our direction. My first instinct was to flee. Instead, I sidled up to Tito.

  Not releasing the boy, he bent my direction and took my mouth in a greeting totally inappropriate for public viewing, but one hundred and ten percent worth the embarrassment.

  “I missed you,” he mumbled against my lips, eyes gleaming with mirth.

  Releasing the kid’s head, he bent low and commanded, “Apologize to Miss Holt.”

  The boy dragged a tongue over his bottom lip, eyeing his friends one at a time. He wanted to fight. He wanted to save face. Not one of his buddies gave any indication that they were going to back him up.

  Tall guy warned, “This is Tango Rossi’s place, Troy. Don’t be stupid.”

  Troy’s fists balled tight. Then he met my eyes. “I apologize for being disrespectful.”

  Tito patted him hard on the back. “Good man.” He grabbed my hand. “Eat up, boys. Lunch is on me.” Then he gave the table three raps with his knuckles, told the kids to have a good day, and dragged me through the swinging doors and down the hall.

  Safely out of eyesight, he pinned me to the wall with a kiss that was playful and possessive.

  I curled my fingers around the waistband of his jeans. “You’re back.”

  “I’m back.”

  “You get the girl?”

  He planted his hands on the wall above my head, wild eyes taking in every inch of my face, my chest, my hair like he couldn’t get enough. “We got two.”