Eternally Devoted (Frostbite #4)

by Stacey Kennedy

  A loud snort followed.

  I turned to Brandon, who stood near the tall plants of the swamp by Gretchen. At a closer look, I noticed that Gretchen fiddled with the hem of her shirt and her cheeks were rosy. Maybe she and Brandon had been talking. And apparently, being charismatic wasn’t only in Kipp’s characteristics, but it was a McGowen trait.

  Brandon ran a hand through his soft brown hair and his eyebrows rose over his brown, almond shaped eyes. “I didn’t answer my phone because it’s still at the hospital.”

  Having the McGowen men together, the resemblance between the two was uncanny, even though Brandon was a couple years younger. But I focused away from their looks as Brandon shook his head slowly and gave a soft half-amused, half-astounded chuckle. “I didn’t think of my phone while I watched my brother wake up from being in a coma, scare the shit out of me as he ripped his breathing tube out, and then proceed to tell me we had to go home to get our passports.”

  I couldn’t even imagine how shocking that must’ve been for Brandon. Even if Brandon hoped Kipp woke up, I was sure he hadn’t expected Kipp to jump out of bed when it happened. “Then you took a flight to White Castle?”

  Kipp nodded, his hand sliding over the curve of my hip, and the heat flaring in his eyes still lay present. “Brett and I got lucky.”

  I did a double take. “Who in the hell is Brett?”

  Brandon, as I had known him, snorted at Kipp. “He calls me Brett because it’s my middle name, and as kids, I might have been a fan of Bret Michaels.” Brandon glared at Kipp. “He thinks he’s funny, which he’s not.”

  “A fan?” Kipp retorted, grinning at his brother before he said to me, “He was obsessed. I bet he still has his bandanas.” I laughed while Brandon cursed, and then Kipp continued with a wink at me. “Anyways, as I was saying, a flight was heading out just as we got our tickets.”

  I liked seeing Kipp so playful with his brother. It was so normal, and so what I’d been craving to share with him. “Then what happened?”

  Kipp’s chin dipped, eyebrow arched. “I made it quite clear that plane would not leave without us on it.”

  I laughed, having no doubt he did, as he continued, “I called the White Castle P.D. to send someone over to Wayde’s house in Baton Rouge, but the cops told me Max had already called it in.”

  Kipp squeezed his arms around me and I loved him holding me just like this while talking to each other. So simple, but something we simply couldn’t do before. I sank into his arms as he went on. “Once we landed at the airport, I stole some guy’s phone away and called Max. He told me you were at the Animus now.”

  I recalled when Max had received a phone call after Alexander had crossed, and that he immediately talked to Eddie and to Zach. Also, that Caley seemed aware of Kipp’s impending arrival. I turned to Max and gave a glare I suspected held little heat. “Thanks for the warning.”

  He smiled, crinkling his warm eyes. “Kipp wanted to surprise you.”

  God, they were lucky I hadn’t passed out or had a heart attack. Both were possibilities. Shaking my head at Max, I noticed the sweet affection in his eyes as he looked between Kipp and me, as well as saw the same happiness in every set of eyes watching us now.

  Right then, a sudden hard grip wrapped around my arm, and I found myself dragged forward into another body. Brandon squeezed me tight, his cheek pressing against the top of my head. “Thank you,” he whispered. “Thank you, Tess, for bringing him back to us.”

  Kipp smiled at me, and I smiled in return, sinking into Brandon’s hug. While I thought it sweet he was thanking me, I wasn’t sure it was appropriate, since I hadn’t saved Kipp for Brandon.

  After Brandon released me, Kipp immediately pressed himself against my back again, reminding me he never would be far away. I wiggled against Kipp’s chest, loving him so close.

  “No need to thank me,” I told Brandon. “Trust me, I acted entirely for selfish reasons.” Kipp tensed behind me and I whispered, “I wanted him all for myself.”

  “Now you have me.”

  At the huskiness in Kipp’s voice, I spun in his arms and the look I found on that handsome face made me take a step back. Sure, I wanted Kipp to attack me with some delicious sex. But when all of that intoxicating intensity was focused entirely on me it made me feel like one little woman in the hands of a powerful man.

  Apparently, there was a truth to Kipp McGowen I hadn’t seen yet. Perhaps he restrained it because of all we’d been through. However, clearly, when he wanted something, he took it. The offer he had extended hadn’t been one he’d allow me to refuse, yet he had allowed me to say what I needed to.

  He’d been patient…for me.

  His patience had vanished.

  The sound of Zach chuckling caught my attention before I heard him say, “I’ll book us a flight home for the morning, then?”

  Kipp didn’t even look at him—and I didn’t look away from Kipp—as he matched my step back. “Make it an evening flight.”

  “You’re all welcome to stay here tonight,” Dane said.

  I assumed he talked to Max and the others since they all thanked him, even Caley sounded pleased with a sigh of relief. We all needed a good sleep, but I suspected I wouldn’t be getting much of that tonight.

  Kipp stalked me with a hunger that surprisingly made me feel hunted. The dark night surrounded his back as the light from the porch casted a glow over the right side of his very, masculine body. “You…” I gulped. “You’re…”

  His grin took on a devilish edge. “Currently thinking about getting you naked, ensuring those cheeks burn brighter, and making both our bodies drip sweat.” He didn’t lower his voice, and at the laughter around us, it became obvious he didn’t give a flying flip either.

  I took another step back. “Seriously, you want to do this now? There…there are cops we don’t know in that house.”

  Not that I was opposed to an entire night of hot sex with Kipp, but maybe…just maybe…I’d gotten used to ghost sex. Now I realized, when I first met Kipp, I’d been much shyer than him. Perhaps I hadn’t had real sex in so long it made me feel almost inexperienced.

  This man approaching me held a confident edge that made butterflies dance in my belly. That same confidence that had made me notice him in the first place, as well as embarrass the hell out of me.

  Before, I’d been the only one who heard Kipp’s dirty talk and overtly sexual ways. Maybe I thought that part of his personality would change when Kipp wasn’t a ghost.

  Apparently, I was wrong.

  I actually liked that.

  My Kipp…

  Chapter Eighteen

  Kipp’s stride lengthened until he was on me, and he gathered me in his arms. He said nothing to the others as he headed up the front porch stairs. He merely stared at me and held me under my butt while I wrapped my arms around his neck. Under the promise of pleasure in his gaze, my breath caught and my mouth went dry.

  In quick time, he entered the house and passed by police. As one tried to stop us, I heard Max call out to him, which allowed Kipp to journey to the upper floor. The house, except for the soft mummers from downstairs, was quiet. The only sound around me was Kipp’s feet against the creaky wooden floor.

  Once in the bedroom I had stayed in, Kipp set me down on my feet and my knees grew weak as he shut the door behind him. The soft click of the door handle sounded before he turned to me, and yet again, I continued to back up, not quite sure why.

  I wanted him so badly my body ached with need. But all that intensity in him and the sheer power glowing in his eyes intimated me. “Um…” I swallowed hard, watching him slowly approach me. “Do you even have the strength to do this?”

  “Do I have strength to make love to you?” A slow smiled spread over Kipp’s face as he stopped in front of me, arching an eyebrow. “Is that what you’re asking?”

  Unable to speak, I nodded.

  He dragged me into him, staring down with a hunger that shouldn’t belong to any man because o
f the power it had over me. But, in fact, it created a low buzz in my body in a silent request for more. “Do I have the strength to finally feel and touch you?” His brow arched higher. “Is that the question?”

  I licked my lips as Kipp pushed on my front, urging me backward and I barely managed, “Yes.”

  His head tilted down toward mine, his gaze focused on my mouth before he looked into my eyes. “Am I strong enough to ensure you know how it feels to be loved by me?”

  The back of my knees hit the bed and I inhaled a sharp breath, catching a whiff of the woodsy potpourri in the room and of Kipp’s mouthwatering masculine scent. He’d always been playful with his sexy ways, but now it wasn’t playful, it was raw, real, and damn hot.

  “Yes, Kipp.”

  He leaned in nearly nose-to-nose, and gave me his sexy grin. “Tess, not even death would stop me.”

  Kipp removed the fancy bedspread with a hard pull, dropping all the blankets to the floor. He lifted me onto my knees on the middle of the bed and joined me. Not a second later, his lips were on mine and his heated kiss consumed me.

  His fingers traced my hips above my jeans before they slid under my shirt and, with a fluid, move my shirt was off and thrown on the ground. His lips returned to mine. He reached to unclip my bra, and when the lingerie fell free from my body, he leaned away.

  Kipp did a full once over of my breasts before he grinned at me, causing my breath to hitch. Then he stole my breath altogether as he leaned down to caress my nipple with his tongue. I cupped his head, pulling him closer, craving no distance between us.

  He pressed a kiss to both breasts before he trailed kisses down my stomach. I sighed and closed my eyes as he unbuttoned my jeans. Once he pulled them over my bottom, I helped him and hurried to shed my pants and panties, so desperate to feel skin against skin.

  Trapped in his smoldering gaze, he gave me his classic, arrogant smirk as he slid his fingers from the center of my chest, down my abdomen…and kept on going. When his fingers connected with my aroused flesh, I gasped and he stole the sound with his mouth. He pressed himself against me and I wiggled, feeling the roughness of his jeans against my heated skin, when suddenly he chuckled.

  I jerked back, covering my chest. “You better not be laughing at me.”

  He gave me an ‘are you kidding’ look and took my hands, placing my arms back at my sides. “I forgot I have to actually take off my clothes.” Looking down at himself, he snorted. “For a second there, I wondered why I wasn’t naked yet.”

  I supposed that would take some time to get used to again, but he had one thing entirely wrong. I shook my head at him, nibbling my lip and drawing his attention to my mouth. “No, you don’t take your clothes off…”

  One sleek eyebrow arched. “Ah, who does, then?”

  I smiled. “Me, of course.”

  His smirk turned wicked as he moved away from me to stand in next to the bed. I crawled my way over to him and his eyebrow arched even higher. “Well now, what do we have here?”

  Once I reached him, he brushed his finger along my jawline. “Does my kitten purr, too? Now, that, I’d love to hear.”

  The sheer intensity in him enveloped me, making my body scorch red-hot, including my cheeks. He slid his fingers over my cheekbone, and his voice dropped an octave. “Look at that color.” He winked. “I’m glad to see it’s me that makes you react this way, and it’s not the idea of doing dirty things with a ghost.”

  “At least one of us likes it.” I suspected he’d never lose the ability to render me a flaming-cheeked woman. Leaning into his touch, I knew it was never what Kipp said that made me react so forcefully to him. Even if how he said it always made even simple words seem so naughty, it was the passion in Kipp. More so, the passion he had toward me. The level of arousal he brought forth with a simple look made my body awaken to him, always.

  With his eyes fixated on me, I slid his gray T-shirt up his stomach and once I reached his chest, he assisted me in removing it. When he dropped the shirt to the ground, I scanned his squared chest and six-pack, and then trailed my fingers over each valley of his muscles, relishing in his smooth skin. “You look different now.”

  He tensed under the dance of my finger and his voice deepened further to a low rumble. “Do I?”

  “I wasn’t expecting that.” I traced my finger over his impressive physique until I reached the top of his jeans, and then I slid my touch hip-to-hip. “But you do. More…” I looked up into his dark, hungry gaze. “Defined.” Perhaps because in the Netherworld Kipp was still a ghost.

  Keeping my eyes locked on his, I reached for the button of his jeans and unhooked it. After I lowered the zipper, I pushed down his jeans, taking his boxer briefs, too. When his pants dropped to his ankles, I reached for something far more enticing.

  My hand wrapped around Kipp’s thick, beautiful cock, and he groaned deep in his throat. He stared at me in a way he never had before—only a sexy look that could come from my pleasuring him.

  I gave him a few tugs before I slid off the bed, lowering to my knees. His chin dipped as he watched me lick my way over his erection. I relished in the masculine, musky scent wafting through my nostrils as well as the taste of him on my tongue.

  Using my mouth, I set to give Kipp the pleasure I’d longed to provide and explored every single hard inch of him. Soon, his head was thrown back and he was moaning along with my movements. Moans that were more than a man lost in pleasure, but more so, denied pleasure—wanted for so long but never fulfilled…until now.

  After a swirl of my tongue that had his hips shifting forward, Kipp grunted, a low sound making me shiver. He placed both hands on my cheeks, pulling me away from him, and leaned down to press his mouth against mine.

  Our tongues tangled as everything heated up a notch, far from exploring and playful. Urgent and greedy need fueled every kiss, touch, and desperate sound. He lifted me in his arms, placed me on the bed and onto my side, facing him.

  As he settled in beside me on the mattress while I placed my head on the soft pillow, he flicked my hair off my shoulder. Then, with gentle fingers, he lifted my leg, totally exposing me.

  Odd position, to be on my side and not on my back, I thought.

  Not as if I’d deny him the right to put me wherever he wanted.

  He traced a finger over my shoulder, and then trailed his touch all the way down to my thigh. Perhaps my curiosity about the position showed on my face, since he murmured, “You’re very sexy like this. I have access and can see everything, hmm?”

  As if to prove his point, he slid his fingers over the side of my heated flesh, then squeezed my butt cheek and finished up with a tweak on my nipple, making me squirm under his touch.

  His gaze finally rose to mine, and Lord, did it simmer. “Stay right where you are. No moving, Tess.” He pushed on my thigh, widening the space between my legs, his eyes doing a very slow glance over my lower half. “I like you just like this.”

  I stayed quiet as he kissed my shoulder and travelled that delicious mouth down my back and over my bottom, where he took a nibble of my cheek, causing me to wiggle. He gave my ass a slight slap and I moaned against the sting, loving the feel of Kipp’s hand causing such a sharp sensation.

  He lowered further down on my body and I sensed his breath before I felt his tongue. Then he swiped up the length of my lower lips and my eyes fluttered closed. Using slow flicks of his tongue, he explored my flesh and would pause every so often, savoring me before his tongue returned.

  After a long slow lick that had me shivering and gasping, he kissed his way back up my body. “This is where you belong.” He pressed my thigh back down to the mattress, bringing my knee up toward my chest.

  Wrapping one arm around my torso, he entirely blanketed my body. “Right here. Safe. Protected. Loved.” He shifted his hips and his erection slid against my aroused, slick flesh. “Do I need to use a condom?”

  “IUD,” was all I managed to whisper.

  Apparently, I had explained
enough we didn’t need further protection, since pressure built against my lower lips. The stretch inside reminding me I wasn’t dreaming. His arm was a vise around me, which pinned me beneath him as he continued to push forward.

  When his pelvis pressed firmly against my bottom, I vibrated around his erection. To be joined this way and with Kipp’s body bringing forth pleasure…

  Heaven had nothing on this.

  He covered me completely with his body, hugged me so tight that no distance remained between us. I had craved, longed, and fought for exactly this.

  Safe. Protected. Loved.

  Each shift of his hips was slow and gentle. Nothing about his movements jarred me into pleasure. His claim had already been made on me when we had sex in the Netherworld that very first time.

  Now he loved me.

  Tears filled my eyes.

  His lips brushed against my cheek, and I angled my head to look at him. His positively glowing eyes offered a promise. Nothing could ever hurt me or come between us when I was right…here.

  I moaned under his sensual fluid strokes. Sometimes, he kissed the moans away. Other times, he shifted a little deeper to make them louder. His breath grew raspy, eyes focused, and the sight of his pleasure made me equally as hot as the sensations he was building low in my body.

  With each perfect slide of his hips, kiss on my neck, declaration of love into my ear, he brought me higher…and higher. Until the only sounds in the room were of Kipp’s body against mine, as well as the noises of our love making.

  Kipp bit down on his bottom lip, as he always did while lost in pleasure, and at the sight of it, my inner muscles clamped against him with my rising climax. His eyes grew wide and became intense, as his thrusts increased in speed and force. Each one made me climb higher...higher…even higher…until…

  I was tumbling and crashing into pleasure, shaking and quivering with brutal force, and Kipp was roaring and bucking into his own release. Until all that remained in its wake were sweaty bodies and tangled limbs.

  There, we lay, recovering and breathing heavily.