Captured In Ink (Art of Love Series)

by McDonald, Donna

  ***

  After working long hours the day before and getting almost nothing accomplished, Shane had spent a restless night tossing and turning. If he missed Reesa this badly after only a couple days of not seeing her, he was never going to make it until next week.

  This morning he had managed to get a shower in, but hadn’t been motivated enough to shave or even brush his hair. He’d just more or less pushed it back wet and let it go. Now his dark blonde hair fell in damp clumps over his eyebrows as he bent over his drawing table.

  The work was going better this morning, but he was so tense he could barely sit still long enough to draw. Sometimes the mind and its endless thinking got in the way of creativity. Other times it was the body that wouldn’t cooperate with the need to sit still and draw. Both were equally frustrating.

  The doorbell rang, and for once Shane actually welcomed the interruption. It was probably Michael coming by to rant like he usually did a couple mornings a week.

  Opening his door, he found a red-eyed Reesa standing there. “What’s wrong?” Shane asked, his gut clenching at the pain on her face.

  Reesa raised her arms to him in a gesture very much like Sara when she wanted to be held. Heart hurting for her, Shane lifted Reesa and helped her wrap herself around him. He stood long moments just holding her slight form against him, feeling guilty for being glad about it even when he could tell she was hurting.

  “What’s wrong, Reesa? What is it, honey?”

  “Just hold me,” she whispered. “I can’t talk about it yet. I just needed—I just needed—I need you, Shane.”

  The admission was wrenched from her by her distress, and Shane could hear her emotional pain in the way she said it. Pushing away his urge to demand what the cause of her new distress was, Shane kicked the door closed and turned the lock to secure them inside. All the while Reesa just clung tightly to him.

  Shane walked to his bed and sat down with her in his lap. It reminded him of the first time he brought her to his bed. Her sniffles were muted against his T-shirt, but he heard them. Just like he heard her ragged sighing as he rubbed her back, noticing as he touched her that she was dressed in something other than jeans.

  Where had she been this morning? She’d probably mentioned it, but he had forgotten what she had said.

  “Ssshhh. . .I’ve got you,” he said softly “Whatever it is, it’s going to be okay. I’ll help you make it okay.”

  Reesa leaned back and looked into Shane’s serious brown eyes. He wasn’t completely an adult, but he wasn’t a child either. She didn’t know what Shane Larson was, but she wanted anything he was willing to offer her this morning.

  “I need you. I have two hours. That’s not much, but it’s all I have.” Reesa looked down, having a hard time meeting his gaze. She wouldn’t blame him if all he felt was used.

  “What do you need from me?” Shane asked, still not sure how to give comfort.

  “I need to believe that life isn’t all pain and hurt and struggle. I need to remember that there are good things and pleasure and—”

  Love—she’d almost said.

  Reesa closed her eyes. She couldn’t ask for that. Shane would try to give it, but it would just be the Winged Protector in him swooping in to save the day.

  No—what she needed right now was two hours of bed time with plain old Shane Larson who fit perfectly inside her. Then she’d feel like tackling the world again.

  “I need to be with you, Shane. Is that okay?” Reesa asked.

  “Yes. More than okay. What took you so long?” he asked.

  Reaching around her, Shane pulled open the side table drawer. He pulled out several packets and handed them to her.

  “They’re new,” he said. “I stocked up while I looked for you.”

  “You know—I’m actually glad you found me now,” she told him sincerely. “I can’t imagine being with anyone but you at this moment.”

  “You have no idea how happy I am to hear you admit that,” Shane said hoarsely, head spinning with her confession.

  “I think about being with you all the time,” Reesa told him, “but it’s hard to work it all out.”

  With a fistful of condoms clutched between them, Reesa leaned her forehead against Shane’s collarbone.

  “I’m at war with myself over you,” Reesa told him, lifting her head at last.

  Shane snorted. “How about you kiss me like you mean it before I lose my fucking mind and devour you in a couple bites?”

  Groaning, Reesa held his rough, bearded face in her hands and kissed him with no reservations. She kissed him liked she’d wanted to in the car that night. She ran hands through his hair and tugged on it to turn his head to the side, sweeping his mouth with her tongue while he let her vent her passion.

  Eventually, he brought a trembling hand to the back of her head, wrestling control back from her by nipping her bottom lip with his teeth to stop her onslaught.

  Her movements stilling at last, Shane kissed her closed eyes. He was every lover ever born when he was with Reesa Callahan. She brought out the best in him.

  “I need to taste you and then I’ll want inside you because we’ve waited so long. If you want anything else, speak up now,” he said roughly.

  “Oh God, Shane, stop talking and just do something,” Reesa begged, unbuttoning her blouse and shucking it. Reaching behind her, she unclasped her bra and heard him draw in a breath as her naked breasts fell against him.

  Shane spun them both on the bed and went to work on her nice slacks which thankfully fastened liked jeans so he knew how to get them off her without destroying them.

  He got them half-way down her legs before he couldn’t take it anymore and pushed his face between her thighs to separate them and find what he knew was waiting for him. Shane licked inside her as she kicked her clothes the rest of the way off her legs, her hips arching up off the bed to meet his mouth driving him completely insane.

  “God I missed you,” Shane said against her thrashing legs, finally holding her by the back of her thighs and feeling them quiver in his hands. “You’re like no one else. I don’t want anyone else. It has to be you, Reesa. It has to be you. Scream for me, baby.”

  When he dived back inside her with his tongue, she did, and Shane absorbed every shiver and shake until she quieted. When she quieted, he did too—grateful for every book he’d ever read, grateful for all he knew without having gotten so far with a women before in quite this way. She would be the only woman whose flavor he knew and that was more than fine by him.

  Holding her now calm body in his hands, it was suddenly crystal clear why his father had been so condescending about his casual relationships. They just weren’t this avalanche of desire and need. Sex obviously wasn’t even worth doing if you could walk away unaffected.

  “Shane,” Reesa whispered, finding what was left of her voice. “That was nice, but it wasn’t enough. Please—”

  “Be right there,” he said, shedding his clothes and grabbing a condom, which he put on himself with trembling hands.

  “Kiss me now,” she ordered, holding up her arms.

  Shane laughed as he crawled over her prone body. “Do you ever get satisfied enough in bed that you stop demanding things?”

  “I’m never going to get enough of you,” Reesa said, heart open and body on fire.

  Slipping her arms under his, she found his mouth and pulled him down to her even as she guided his hips between her thighs. When she was wrapped around him once more, she let go of his mouth to stare into his eyes. “You are big enough to drive the worst shadows away. If you want to be my hero, make me forget the rest of my life again.”

  “I don’t know about hero, but I’ll gladly be your lover,” Shane said, sliding inside her slowly as Reesa squirmed around his hardness, adjusting to his sweet invasion of her.

  When he was all the way inside her, Shane held himself still and caressed her with trembling hands. He simply couldn’t see how anything could ever be any better with anyone el
se.

  She was his. He was hers. It’s just how it was.

  “Shane,” Reesa called urgently, feeling him push home until he was flush against her. “The way you fill me makes me grateful every time.”

  “How do you think I feel?” he asked, sliding out and sliding back, reluctant to leave her even a little now that he was back inside her again. “Don’t ask me not to want this with you. It’s all I can think about some days. This is just as good as it was the first time, isn’t it?”

  “Yes,” she admitted, arching with his movements, following where he led her.

  Shane moved inside Reesa, sliding gently, as she nodded furiously under his chin about it being good.

  Mine, he thought, wanting badly to ask if it could ever be true, but he didn’t want to scare Reesa or change the moment.

  “I’m inside you and I just keep getting harder with every stroke. I feel you absorbing it and I go a little crazy,” Shane said, kissing her, dancing his tongue along her lip. When her hips bore down on him, he felt his control snapping again. “That’s it. That’s what you do that does it.”

  “What?” Reesa asked, lost to the pressure building inside as Shane moved her body with every forward thrust into her. “I’m not doing anything.”

  Shane laughed at her protest and slid her arms from him to hold them above her head. He held onto them as he moved and felt her arching more trying to keep him inside. The mating dance was well under way for him too.

  “You’re close again, aren’t you?” Shane asked.

  She nodded rapidly again and closed her eyes. “Yes. Hurry. Harder.”

  “This is only the beginning, Teresa Callahan. Nod if you understand what I’m saying,” Shane asked, laughing when she nodded again.

  When his body was off hers briefly, Reesa slid down and brought her heels up to tuck them in the middle of his back.

  “Oh, damn it, lady,” Shane said laughing and feeling himself unable to hold back anymore.

  He slid trembling hands under her hips to hold her up to receive his thrusts. He literally felt her climaxing again as he lost his sanity and the tension he’d had for weeks in the haven of her body.

  Simultaneous orgasm again. That has to be a record of some sort, Shane thought.

  He rolled them to their sides after they’d calmed, keeping the connection. He kissed her and rubbed everywhere he could reach on her body.

  Shane felt her reach up and finger comb his hair back and out of his face. He sighed at the tenderness of the moment. When he opened his eyes, he saw a patch of red on Reesa’s cheek where his beard h scraped her. It suddenly occurred to him she might have a rash in other places because of his beard as well. Damn it. He had to do better than this with her.

  “I will shave daily from now on,” Shane promised, hoping he hadn’t hurt her.

  “Why? I don’t mind your beard,” Reesa said. “It just reminds me you’re a man.”

  And it keeps me from remembering you’re still in school and only a marginally employed graphic novelist, she thought. It would be so much easier if you were thirty-five or forty with a job like Brent’s.

  “Yes, well I don’t need a beard to be masculine. I want back between your legs and I don’t want the beard to stop it from happening,” he said honestly, laughing wickedly at her blushing face. “Or hurt you when I really only want to make you happy.”

  Reesa felt the heat climb and couldn’t even clench her thighs with Shane still inside her. “I never even noticed your beard. Trust me—I would tell you.”

  “You were too far gone today, but that doesn’t it mean it won’t hurt tomorrow,” Shane said, grinning wickedly. “I never want to hurt you—for any reason.”

  “Shane,” Reesa said reverently, leaning forward to kiss the middle of his chest. “You’re the only person I’ve ever known who never has.”

  Not knowing what to say at her quiet, sincere words, Shane said nothing, just kissed the top of her head. How long they stayed like that, Shane didn’t know, because he drifted off into a relaxed sleep.

  When he woke a couple hours later, Reesa was gone again. Only this time, Shane wasn’t as worried. He knew where she was and why she left. Sara would be getting home about now. And he would see Reesa again soon. He was going to make sure of it.

  Maybe sitting at her kitchen table, she would even tell him what hurt her so badly today.

  Shane lay there staring at his ceiling for another hour as he made lists of things he needed to do, starting with getting his dissertation defense moved up to November. He was a hard week away from his novel draft being finished.

  It was time to get his priorities straight and join the world of being a grown-up, Shane decided. And he wanted to have both his doctorate and the job at UK in his hand before he asked Teresa Callahan to marry him.

  Chapter 9

  Thursday evening Will was lying in bed staring at the ceiling when Jessica walked naked out of the bathroom smelling like the organic lemon verbena shower soap she loved. He was now addicted to the scent because of her.

  “I always have this little shock to see you naked,” he told her. “I think I’m still having trouble believing we’re really together. You haven’t changed your mind about marrying me, have you?”

  Jessica climbed into bed beside an already naked Will, who raised an arm to make room for her against his side.

  “No, I’m going to marry you, but I know what you mean. I’m still a little shocked myself,” she said, laughing. “That’s why I run my hands over your naked body so often. I’m seeking concrete proof of your existence.”

  “How much concrete are you expecting to find tonight?” he asked. “I’ll help you look for it. I usually have enough where you’re concerned.”

  Jessica laughed at his wicked teasing, something she had once wondered if he’d ever do with her without embarrassment. “This is why I can’t even imagine my life without you. I even bought you a coffee pot, a grinder, and very expensive beans. I was going to surprise you with it tomorrow morning.”

  “Wow. Thank you, honey. I didn’t know you loved me that much,” Will said snidely, snuggling against her breasts.

  “You don’t even know the half of it. I was too lazy to price compare and run all over town looking, so finally I just bought the whole works at the coffee shop,” Jessica told him. “I went there after school today.”

  He winced, but was kind of thrilled to know he’d have an awesome setup, and that she loved him enough to buy the best for him.

  “Bet that wasn’t cheap,” Will said, laughing, “but I’m extremely grateful. I just can’t do tea.”

  Jessica rolled on top of him. “I don’t expect us to always like the same things. And I don’t want gratitude, Mr. Larson. I want you to work off the cost in trade.”

  Will snorted beneath her. “Got some specific work in mind.”

  “Yes,” she said fiercely, “but I’m too tired to have it done tonight.”

  Will put his finger in his mouth, wet it, and then used it to write across Jessica’s naked breasts while she laughed. “It’s an invisible IOU for the sexual favor of your choice,” he told her, grinning.

  “Just one? Oh no, that was an expensive damn coffee pot. And those stupid coffee beans were fourteen dollars a pound. I figure they’re good for twenty favors at least,” she said.

  “Twenty? Are you crazy? That’s sexual extortion. The coffee pot isn’t made of gold, is it?” Will asked.

  She bent to kiss his smiling mouth. “No. It’s stainless steel. How about ten?”

  Will pretended to contemplate the revised number. “Okay. Fine. Ten. Make a list so I can get mentally prepared for the kinky stuff. I’ll yell at you for free. Consider it a bonus for buying the grinder.”

  Jessica burst into uncontrolled laughter remembering how much hearing him yell at Michael and Shane had turned her on.

  Loving her laughter, Will rolled them until he balancing himself on her thighs. He had a deep appreciation for how physical she was wit
h him.

  “You’re so easy,” he teased.

  “Yeah, you knew that when you met me. So?” she asked.

  “No—not that way. I mean you suck at negotiating,” he told her.

  “You haven’t been complaining about that up until now either,” Jessica said, sarcastically.

  Will’s entire weight dropped between her legs and onto her hips as laughter overcame him. “Woman, I’d have given you fifty sexual favors of your choice for the damn coffee pot.”

  “You’ll give them to me anyway,” Jessica told him, playing with his earring. “I just felt like extorting some.”

  “If I do all the work, can I have the sexual favor of my choice tonight,” he asked, bending his mouth to suck at her neck. “You won’t have to do a thing but enjoy it.”

  “Sure. What do you want?” Jessica said, her eyes closed as she enjoyed Will’s lips trailing over her.

  “Well that’s the irony. I already have what I want,” Will said softly, lowering his mouth to Jessica’s and kissing her until she moaned. “Now all I have to do is talk you into marrying me so I can make it legal.”

  Jessica’s husky laugh rang out in the room. “Great. I’ll call in sick tomorrow. Let’s drive to Tennessee. We’ll do it quick and dirty.”

  “Oh hell no—I want witnesses, lots of them,” Will told her. “I don’t need a church, but I want the whole package. If you ask Susan to stand with you, I’ll ask Steve Lipton to be my best man. He’ll say he is, and I’ll say he isn’t. We’ll trade insults, but it’s really the right thing to do since he gave me great advice about you—not that I followed it.”

  By the time Will wound down, Jessica was laughing so hard she was shaking both of them. “Will—I used to date Steve. Don’t you think people might wonder why he’s acting as your best man?”

  “Honey—I’m not sure I can find a guy you haven’t dated unless I ask one of my sons, or worse, my ex-wife’s husband,” Will teased, grabbing her wrists when she would have pushed him off her. “Hell, Steve at least told me the truth and tried to help. Other men would just try to date you. I prefer one that is already done and moved on.”