Connie broke the kiss with a gasp, her eyes heavy lidded as she smiled at him. “I’ll do it,” she purred and Jacob had to gulp down a growl.
Control, control, control… Keep control, my man, keep it together he chanted to himself as Connie slowly pulled that cashmere sweater up over her head to reveal the cream colored lace bra covering her breasts. He couldn’t take his eyes off her as her hands moved behind her and she arched slightly to undo the clasp. As she pulled each strap from her shoulder and then shimmied to let the lace fall to the floor, Jacob’s breath came out of him in a whoosh.
As a shifter, he’d seen Connie naked before, but this was different. A flash of side boob or bare ass cheek during a hunt or run could never compare to this. This was for him, and for him alone to see, to admire, to feel…
His hands extended with the need to touch and he knew he had lost all semblance of cool, but Connie didn’t protest as he cupped the mounds of her breasts. Instead she closed her eyes with a moan as he slid his calloused palms over those stiff little nipples. Lowering his head, he cupped her left breast and took that tight bud into his mouth, his tongue dancing over the peak while the fingers of his other hand circled and plucked at her right nipple.
Connie’s fingers moved deep into his hair, gripping, as she pushed his mouth closer in appreciation of his ministrations. Her breath was coming in hard pants and little moans that were such a turn-on, Jacob had to remind himself that he couldn’t just throw her on the bed and jump on her.
Releasing her nipple with a last little suck, Jacob moved to the other to pay it equal homage while one of Connie’s hands moved from his head to his back; her fingers gripping his T-shirt and pulling upward on the cotton. Not needing further encouragement, Jacob straightened and yanked the garment over his head. When he went to return his mouth to those succulent nipples, she stopped him with a hand to his chest. “I want to look at you.” She breathed.
Jacob was good with that because while she was taking him in with appreciative eyes, his own eyes could drink her in. Her lips were damp, slightly swollen, as were her nipples, from his kisses. That’s as far as he got before her fingers skated over his own nipples and he threw his head back with a hiss, eyes close tight in an attempt to maintain control.
He growled as her fingertips slid over the hard plane of his abdomen, traced around the bandage on his side, and then lower to the waistband of his sweats where the head of his dick had popped up to say hello. Jacob opened his eyes, not wanting to miss a moment of this, but the look on her face was nearly his undoing: her hot eyes filled with equal parts awe and admiration as she pushed down the sweatpants and his erection sprang free.
“You are so beautiful.” She whispered, her fingers almost reverent as they danced over the head of his erection. It jounced in appreciation, once, twice, and she looked up into his eyes in sheer delight before she wrapped her hand fully around his length and gave him a small squeeze.
Jacob grit his teeth. He wanted to allow her this time to see him, to play, to become accustomed to him, but he didn’t know how much more he could take.
As if she sensed he was at the end of his control, Connie’s hand released him and went to the button of her own jeans. He was nearly panting as she pushed the denim off of her hips to reveal the cream lace panties beneath. His knees gave out and he knelt before her, his hands clasping the smooth pale skin of her thighs while his forehead fell against her belly. He so loved this woman. He inhaled deeply, the scent of her desire making him growl. His fingers slid up, catching the lace of her panties on the backs of his fingers, he slid them down on a caress, revealing her sex and another growl, nearly a snarl, broke free.
Connie stepped back slightly and he worried that he had frightened her, but she merely stepped free of both her jeans and panties before she once again closed the distance and pulled his head back toward her. “I need you, Jacob.”
Taking a shaky breath to steady himself, Jacob stood, scooped Connie into his arms and placed her reverently on his bed. His hands were shaking slightly as he spread her thighs. He wanted everything at once. He wanted to taste every inch of her, he wanted to be inside of her, and he wanted her hands and mouth on him as well. Torture, sweet, sweet torture as he slid between those glorious legs to worship Connie with his mouth.
Her moans, pants, and growls spurred him on as he alternated between flicking his tongue against her sensitive folds and long slow licks. She was so wet, so responsive he couldn’t hold back his own growls. The vibrations seemed only to arouse her further, so he stopped trying to hold them in. Her entire body was tightening like a bowstring beneath him and he slid a finger inside of her. She was so hot, so tight and wet he thought he would surely lose his mind. He applied a bit more pressure with his tongue and let out a loud growl. Connie screamed his name, her body pulsing around his finger and against his tongue.
Feeling her release, knowing he had done that, he lost all control. Surging upward on the bed, his mouth met hers in a deep and hungry kiss, his tongue thrusting into her mouth while the blunt head of his erection found that glorious wetness that he had prepared with his mouth. He wanted to push forward, sink into that sleek heat but a moment of sanity held him back. This was his Connie and he needed to do this right, even if it killed him.
Leaning slightly over, careful not to crush her, he dug into the drawer of his bedside table and pulled out a condom. He grit his teeth as Connie’s hand found his erection and began to stroke him with eager fingers. She was trying to kill him, but what a way to go.
Sliding the condom down his length as quickly as he could manage with shaking hands, he returned his mouth to hers and she matched his kiss with near desperation. Her legs lifted, wrapped around his hips so tightly and squeezed his hips closer, demanding. His erection, knowing exactly where it wanted to go and how to get there, slid home. He couldn’t hold back the shout of pleasure. Nothing had ever felt quite this perfect.
He tried to hold himself still, tried to gather in his last scraps of control, but Connie’s hips were moving against his, her moans of pleasure filling his ears, and every nerve ending in his body was firing. He thrust, once, twice, and then with a mind numbing surge of intense pleasure, his world exploded in a kaleidoscope of colorful sparks.
Chapter Thirty-Three
Connie was wrapped in a nest of contentment. Here in Jacob’s bed with his arm around her, her head on his shoulder as his fingers skimmed lightly over the skin of her arm from shoulder to wrist. She needed to get up and use the bathroom, but she wanted to savor this moment for a just a little while longer.
She felt Jacob’s lips press against the top of her head and she smiled. To think of all the time she had wasted with her foolish need to push him away. All those nights they could have been spending just like this, making love – and it was definitely making love when it came to Jacob – cuddling, and just being together.
When her bladder had had enough of the waiting, Connie sat up, and pulled the sheet off of Jacob as she took it with her to the bathroom. Jacob let out a little “Hey!” and she laughed. Personally, she thought that man should never be covered. It was truly a crime to cover up all that manliness. The solid muscles earned from years of lugging lumber and pounding nails, the smattering of dark red hair across his chest, that narrow waist and slim hips, those long muscular legs… Connie sighed. Definitely should be a criminal act to cover all that yumminess.
As she did her business in the bathroom and cleaned herself up she imagined spending the winter here with Jacob, snowed in, nothing to do but chase each other around naked. Nice. Now that was a plan she could totally get on board with. They may have only made love once so far, but she was completely addicted.
Once she was done in the bathroom, Jacob scooted in to clean up as well, and then they both settled back in their previous position on the bed. Connie tried to stifle a yawn and Jacob’s arm tightened around her in a hug as he kissed the top of her head again. “You can spend the night here if you want.”
Mmmm. That did sound nice. She’d have to let her folks know so they wouldn’t worry, especially so soon after having gone missing. But what if she had another nightmare? Would Jacob freak if she woke up in the middle of the night screaming her head off?
Jacob’s thumb smoothed over her bottom lip and she realized she had been biting it. “You don’t have to,” he said, his fingers caressing her cheek with the barest touch. “I can take you home if you’re more comfortable with that.”
Connie’s fingers danced absently over Jacob’s chest, twirling the hair and then petting it. “I didn’t sleep well last night. I had a nightmare.” She admitted keeping her eyes on her fingers.
Jacob’s finger crooked under her chin and lifted her head to meet his eyes. “That’s probably pretty normal considering what you went through.”
Connie nodded and then dropped her head again to nuzzle into Jacob’s chest. “Daisy suggested counseling, even gave me a number to call, but I don’t know.” Connie shrugged a shoulder. “I mean, compared to what some of those females suffered at the hands of the fur traders, my experience is small potatoes.”
Jacob stiffened underneath her. “How do you mean?”
“I mean, I wasn’t raped or abused like some of those females so I should count myself as lucky, right? I got off a lot better than most. I never made it as far as the breeding program. Or females like Rin who get used in hunts.” She shuddered.
Jacob growled. “Don’t make light of what you suffered, Connie. You were abducted, drugged, kept against your will, part of your very nature stolen from you.” His hands gently touched her shoulder and then her belly. “And considering the teeth and claw marks you were far from treated with kid gloves.”
“But those other females-“
Jacob cut her off, “Just because what you suffered was different doesn’t make it any less real, Connie. Whether you talk to someone or not is your decision but don’t make it based on who’s trauma is greater and therefore more deserving.”
Connie closed her eyes and sniffled, feeling wetness beneath her head on Jacob’s chest: tears she hadn’t realized she had cried. She nodded. He was right. Whatever she chose, she needed to do it for her. Therapy wasn’t a triage situation and she shouldn’t look at it as such just because she felt like she may have gotten off easy.
Jacob buried his nose in her hair and he breathed in deeply of her scent. “I’d like you to stay if you’re comfortable. I’ll protect you while you sleep and if you have a nightmare, I’ll be here to comfort you when you wake.”
Connie felt her lower lip tremble and more tears leak from her eyes. Such a good male. How lucky she was that he hadn’t given up on her. “I love you, Jacob Pierce.”
Air left Jacob’s lungs in a large expulsion and he squeezed her so tight she squealed. “Oh, God, Connie. It feels like I’ve waited forever to hear those words. I love you so much. I always have. I always will.”
Then he was kissing her. Her hair, her forehead, her cheeks, eyes, and nose all peppered with little kisses of appreciation and she laughed with pure joy. She wrapped her arms around him hard and kissed him back. Her heart felt lighter than air.
They hadn’t actually talked about moving in together, but over the next several weeks Connie continued to spend more and more time at Jacob’s place. It just made sense that her things would slowly accumulate little by little – her clothes added to his closet, assorted toiletries in his bathroom, her laptop charging on his desk.
They had attended the Halloween party at the town hall together. It had taken some convincing on her part, but they had gone as Sandy and Danny from the movie Grease, and Jacob dressed in that fifties greaser outfit was H-O-T hot. And he obviously approved of her costume considering he couldn’t keep his hands off her butt in those skin tight black satin pants she’d worn. They’d almost been caught in the supply closet by his mother, but totally worth it. Later that night they ran side by side in fur with the pack for the midnight run in recognition of the old ways and Samhain.
They’d arrived together for the town’s Thanksgiving feast, also held at the town hall, and amazingly enough, no one in town was giving her the side eye. In fact, everyone seemed happy that she and Jacob were a couple. Even her mother – especially her mother. Connie had had to flat out shut her down when her mother had actually presented her with wedding invitation samples. “It would be nice, it really would,” she had told her mother “if I was asked and accepted before you start making plans.” Her mother had huffed and grumbled a bit, but in the end, had agreed.
Flora had tried to convince Connie to come back to the salon, but in that matter, Connie had held firm. She accepted the apology as it was sincerely given, but Connie was ready to move on. She wanted her own shop. It may have started as simply a spur of the moment idea, but it had blossomed into a desire she couldn’t deny. And with the help of Sherry Pierce’s legal expertise, things were progressing on that front too.
She had resumed her painting classes, and her bi-weekly Zumba workout, she had even agreed to see a counselor. The woman was a human, so Connie had to be careful in what she said, but she had been able to vent not only about her abduction, but her mother, the town, her past actions that had haunted and humiliated her for so long – everything was laid out on the proverbial table and Connie did have to admit that it was nice to be able to get it all out.
She was making progress, her heart was light, her mind was clear… of course the other shoe would drop.
Chapter Thirty-Four
Connie and her mom were going Christmas shopping. They had never been much for the mass hysteria and general hullabaloo of Black Friday, thus why they had decided to wait until Tuesday. The smell of her mother’s cinnamon buns as she walked through the door of the bed and breakfast had Connie’s stomach growling. She had every intention of grabbing one and scarfing it down with zero decorum while her mother grabbed her coat and purse, but a bouquet of flowers on the reception desk grabbed her attention.
The arrangement was fancy. Roses, blood red, perfect, and so many, all interwoven with eucalyptus and other assorted greenery in a tall, heavy, lead crystal vase. Connie leaned in and inhaled one of the perfect blooms. Way to go, Dad, she thought. These flowers had to have cost a fortune, just the number of roses alone, much less the vase, would have cost a pretty penny. Hopefully if he bought these to get himself out of the doghouse for whatever he’d done wrong, her mother had relented. They were absolutely gorgeous.
“What was Dad in trouble for?” Connie called out so that her mother could hear her as she burrowed through the closet looking for something.
Margaret Tully popped her head out and looked at Connie with confusion. When she glanced at the flowers her confusion cleared. “Oh, that’s not from your father. They arrived this morning for you.”
Connie frowned. Jacob certainly hadn’t done anything he needed to apologize for and it wasn’t a special occasion that would warrant this kind of expense. Plus, she’d seen him less than thirty minutes ago working on his parent’s anniversary present in his shop. He hadn’t said a word about flowers as she’d kissed him goodbye – and why send them here? If it was just a sweet gesture for no reason, why not have the flowers delivered to their place?
Scratching her head, Connie frowned. “Do you know who they’re from?”
Her mother grunted as she pulled a heavy, full-length wool coat from the closet. “There was a card.”
Connie searched carefully through the blooms until she saw the little square envelope. Pulling it free of the greenery and opening it she slid out the card. The one word scrawled in heavy black ink stopped her heart: Exquisite.
Her hand shot out, knocking the vase; it tumbled off the desk and crashed loudly on the floor. Flowers and broken shards of crystal all lay in a puddle of water at Connie’s feet while she attempted to suck air into her laboring lungs.
“Oh, no!” Her mother exclaimed, rushing forward to clean the mess. “What happened?”
> Connie swallowed once, and then again, trying to keep the bile that had risen in her throat from joining the flowers on the floor. She squeezed her eyes shut as the words came out of her in a rush. “Call Tarvahl.” She said grabbing her mother’s hand and gripping it so hard her mother winced. “Call him now. Tell him we need to lock down the town. Tell him they’re here.”
“Who’s here?” Her mother asked clutching at her throat in fear.
“Fur traders. He found me.”
Jacob was the happiest he had been in, well, forever. It seemed like he was constantly smiling. His brother Zack had been picking on him relentlessly about that perma-grin; things like “Man, that’s disgusting”, and “I hope that shit’s not contagious” but Jacob just laughed it off. He felt wonderful, and these last weeks with Connie had been amazing. It wasn’t even the sex – though that was amazing as well in Jacob’s opinion. But the best part was just them being together. They cooked their meals together, playing or feeding each other throughout. They went for walks and chatted about books. Their tastes were really different when it came to the written word, but they had discovered similarities in some of the underlying themes. In fact, they’d spend hours holding hands and talking about anything and everything. Politics, theology, philosophy; the subject never mattered.
One night, after watching a movie that involved time travel, they’d cuddled on the couch discussing time travel theories, paradoxes, alternate universes, time loops… Connie definitely had hidden depths. Or was it suppressed depths? Had she always been so intelligent? He’d lay money that she had been and that no one had bothered to notice.
Whole-Hearted: A Malsum Pass Novel Page 15