Tate reached into his back pocket, snagging his wallet. Pulling out a card, he handed it to Levi. “The information is on there. I’ve got to head back to Maine in a couple of days. I’ll talk to my boss, Mace, and let him know that he might be hearing from you.”
Levi studied the card, nodding slowly before smiling. “Thanks. This means a lot.” Sticking out his hand, Tate clasped his firmly.
“It was a pleasure working with you, Levi. I appreciate everything you did.” Turning, he walked down the hall, finding Nora waiting for him. She smiled up at him, and he immediately wrapped his arms around her. With his lips pressed to the top of her head, he said, “I’m so proud of you, babe. You handled yourself perfectly through your ordeal. It doesn’t mean I don’t want to go to that jail and beat the shit out of those men, but right now, I don’t want to give them any more of my time.”
“That’s probably a good thing. I don’t want to have to visit you in jail!” She leaned her head back and her top teeth landed on her bottom lip as she fought a grin. “So, what would you like to do now?”
“Let’s get you home and then I’ll show you.” He was glad it only took five minutes to pull up to her little apartment. The mission is complete… rescue is over… family time has occurred… police statement is given. Now, it’s our time… new mission.
The entire drive, Nora was a nervous wreck. What did Tate mean? He’ll show me? Have all of the hugs and kisses in the past day just resulted from a crazy, messed up, intense situation? Does he want more? Do I want more?
Before the answers to any of these questions were revealed, she drove into her parking spot and a few seconds later he pulled in next to her. Climbing from their vehicles at the same time, she cast a glance his way, wondering if he was as nervous as she. As usual, he appeared relaxed and in charge. Now that she thought about it, she could never remember seeing him unsteady except for Nathan’s funeral. Giving her head a little shake, she pushed that thought from her mind and they walked up to her apartment together.
Turning the key, she stepped into the living room, tossing her purse to the side. Her feet came to a stuttering halt as she looked around, her breath catching in her throat. Everything was the same, nothing out of place. And yet, shivers began moving through her body until violent shaking overtook her and she slumped to the floor.
Tate dropped to the floor, his arms wrapping around her. “What’s wrong, sweetheart?”
Swallowing deeply, she slowly shook her head. “Nothing. I just suddenly felt… oh, it’s silly.”
He gently turned her around and bent to hold her gaze. “There’s nothing silly about thoughts or feelings or emotions. What’s going on?”
“I don’t understand it, but things feel so different. I was just here two days ago, in this space that I’ve made my home. And yet, with all the craziness in the past two days, I walked in and everything felt strange. Like I don’t recognize anything. All I can see is that cabin and those men…” Unable to bear the intensity of his gaze, she dragged in a ragged breath and dropped her eyes. “See, I said it was silly.”
“Nora, listen to me.” He shook her shoulders gently and she lifted her gaze again. “What you’re experiencing is a type of PTSD. When you’ve suffered a trauma and then you step back into what was your life before, nothing quite seems right. You’ve been on a whirlwind for two days, and just because it’s over, your mind and emotions are having to catch up with everything that happened.”
“Okay,” she whispered, her head bobbing jerkily. “I know you’re right.” She blew out a long breath and swallowed deeply again. As a nurse, she knew what he explained made sense. But never having experienced it, she was uncertain how to deal with the emotions. “What… what should we do?”
He looked around the room before bringing his warm gaze back to her. “Well, let’s walk around your apartment and you can tell me about it.”
Her face scrunched and she repeated, “Tell you about it?”
“Yeah, let’s walk around and you can tell me about the things you have in your apartment. What you like… what you wish was different. Let’s just get reacquainted and take things one little step at a time.”
With his arms around her, she looked around, nodding slowly. “Um… well, I got this place after I sold my parents’ house.” She turned in his arms and cast her gaze about the room again, thinking back to when she saw it the first time. “I know it’s small, but it was only me, and since I was working full-time shifts at the hospital, I didn’t need much. I didn’t want a yard to have to take care of, but I wanted a view. It was late afternoon the first time I was able to see it, and the sun was setting.” She lifted her hand to point to the large picture window at the end of the living room, the mountain range in the distance clearly visible. “As soon as we walked inside, the sunset was breathtaking that day. Clear skies, no clouds. Streaks of golden yellow and peach across the blue. It reminded me of—”
Her voice caught in the back of her throat, and she hesitated. Her back was pressed to Tate’s front, and his arm still banded around her, holding her close, keeping her safe. “It reminded me of all the times you and I used to watch the sunset from somewhere on the ranch.”
“I remember those times too, Nora. Good times.”
She twisted around to look up at him with a tremulous smile curving her lips. “I told the building manager that I would take the apartment and I hadn’t even looked at the rest of it.”
Tate’s arms squeezed her, and he smiled. “I hope the rest of it was okay.”
Chuckling, she nodded. “It was fine. Small, but fine.”
“Show me the rest,” he encouraged.
“There’s not much more to show. Obviously, the living space is connected to the kitchen and dining area. It’s really more like just one room, with only the kitchen counter dividing the space at all. But, as I said, it’s just me and I didn’t want much to take care of. I usually work day shifts, and I’m out of here by six-thirty in the morning and don’t get back until four in the afternoon at the earliest. If I have errands to run then I don’t get back until dinner time. Occasionally, I have to work a night shift, and then I just need a place to sleep.”
His arms let her go and he walked into the living room, looking at the photographs she had hanging on the wall. She watched as his attention snagged on the one in the center. It was a picture of her, Tate, and Nathan on their first visit back home after they joined the military. She was standing in the middle of both of them, all laughing at something amusing one of them had said. The expressions on their faces told of good times had and expectations of good times to come. She loved that picture, and no matter how much her heart had broken, she kept that picture on her wall.
Tate cleared his voice and twisted his head to look at her. “I remember the day that photograph was taken. We were out near the barn and Caroline came down and snapped it. I remember it like it was fuckin’ yesterday.”
“I was just thinking that no matter what happened, I never considered taking that picture down. It was in my room at my house and I made sure it was on this wall.” She saw his intense stare, and she continued, “Even when the thought of you pierced my heart, I couldn’t stand the idea of taking that photograph down.”
He turned and it only took two steps for him to be right in front of her again. He lifted his hand and slid his fingers to the back of her head, his thumb sweeping over her cheek. His eyes were warm and his voice was gentle. “Show me more, babe.”
She smiled and glanced toward the kitchen. “Are you hungry?”
With a chuckle, he shook his head. “Not with one of Mom’s breakfasts in me.”
She linked fingers with him and guided him toward the short hall. “It’s only a one-bedroom apartment because I never have guests who spend the night. The bedroom isn’t very big, but I admit that I like the bathroom. It’s surprisingly large for such a small apartment.”
The bathroom was on one side of the hall, behind the kitchen. He leaned his head in
and then quickly jerked around to look at her. “Wow, you’re right.”
“The sunset through the picture window was the first thing that sold me on the apartment, but I have to admit when I saw the large soaking tub, I knew it was the place for me.”
“Then I know exactly what you need to do next.”
With her head cocked to the side, she looked up at him, waiting to find out what he thought she should do to make herself feel more at home.
Instead of speaking, he bent and plugged the bottom of the tub before turning on the water. Checking the temperature as it ran over his fingers, he said, “You need to soak.”
“Now?”
Standing, he pulled her into his embrace again, tucking her head under his chin. “Right now, I want you to feel warm, safe, and secure.”
She wanted to tell him that was what she felt when she was in his arms, but just circled his waist with her hands and gave a little squeeze.
“So, you’re going to take a long, hot bath and relax.”
“Are you leaving?” She asked the question even though she was terrified of the answer. She was so used to being alone, but right now that was not what she wanted.
“Hell, no, Nora. I’m not leaving.”
Smiling, she felt the tension leave her shoulders. He bent and kissed her lips lightly, then stepped out of the bathroom. “Take your time, but I’ll be close by.” With that, he walked out of the bathroom and closed the door.
Stinging hit her eyes, and when she squeezed them shut, tears rolled down her cheeks. She had no idea how long she stood, but she suddenly jolted and looked down at the water that was rapidly filling. Turning off the faucet, she stripped, stepped over into the heated water, and settled back with her head on her tub pillow. Closing her eyes, the tears stopped, and she was filled with ease.
Fifteen minutes later, the water was cooling as she climbed from the tub. Her body was warm and her muscles relaxed, but the thought of Tate in her apartment caused tingles to run along her spine. Grabbing one of her huge, thick, soft bath towels she dried her body and moisturized. Glancing around, it dawned on her that she came into the bathroom with no change of clothes. With the towel wrapped around her, she opened the door and stepped across the hall into her bedroom.
Her mouth dropped open at the sight of Tate reclining on her bed, his back resting on the pile of pillows and his heated gaze on her. His shirt was off, exposing his T-shirt that stretched across taut muscles. His jeans fit tight in the right places, loose in others, ending in his bare feet which she found incredibly sexy. Uncertain of his expectations, she hesitated.
He swung his legs over the side of the bed and stood. It only took a few steps before he was right in front of her. Her head tilted back as she kept her gaze on his face, his large presence filling the room. He lifted both hands and cupped her cheeks, his fingertips gliding through her hair. Slowly, he lowered his head until his mouth hovered a whisper away from hers. She reached her hands up and clung to his biceps, careful of his injured shoulder, pressing her towel-covered body closer to his, and their lips met.
The past was over… mistakes that had been made could only be forgiven and previous good times were left to be celebrated in memories. The future was unknown… the great uncertainty that faces everyone. But in the here and now is where we decide who we are and what we want to do.
With his lips claiming hers, his arms holding her body tightly to his, she decided.
I’m his.
26
Tate could not believe the gift she was handing him and had no intention to squander it or take it for granted. When Nora had walked out of the bathroom with her hair piled on top of her head in damp tendrils hanging about her shoulders, her skin dewy from the warmth of her bath, and her body encased in a thick towel, he fought the urge to rush to her and claim her for his own.
Instead, his gaze scanned her from head to toes and back again, settling on her eyes where he could see hesitation. Wanting to erase the doubt, he moved swiftly to her and pulled her into his arms.
Offering control, he could have howled with male pride when she clutched his arms, pulled him close, and kissed him. Just as he knew it would be, her skin was warm and petal-soft, and her lips were pliable underneath his.
He drank her in, his tongue thrusting into her mouth, caressing and tasting. As the kiss moved from gentle to wild, he lifted her in his arms and carried her to the bed. Bending slightly, he jerked the covers down before lying her on the mattress. She rolled to one side and jerked the damp towel out from under her, tossing it to the floor.
He perused her naked body which was just as beautiful as he remembered from years earlier, acknowledging that maturity had only made her more desirable. Her breasts were full and the chilly air had her nipples pulled tight. She did not try to cover her nudity but smiled slowly as she reclined in comfort.
“Are you just going to stand there and stare, or are you going to join me?”
“As beautiful as you are, part of me could be satisfied just staring at you,” he confessed, loving that her gaze no longer held doubt. “But considering I’m about to come in my pants, maybe I should join you.” He reached behind and pulled off his T-shirt, carefully maneuvering it around his bandage. With a quick flip, his belt was undone, and he shed both his pants and boxers at the same time.
Her smile held appreciation, and she leaned up on her elbows, her gaze locked on his cock. He thought he was hard before, but with her perusal, he swelled even more. Crawling onto the bed, he knelt between her legs, kissing his way from her belly button to her breasts where he moved between them, circling her nipples with his tongue before taking the taut buds deeply into his mouth.
She fell back against the pillow, her hands encircling his neck, and her fingers lightly caressing the tops of his shoulders. Not wanting to rush the moment, he worshiped each breast before kissing his way to her collarbone, nibbling where her pulse was fluttering at the base of her neck. Her breath hitched and he sucked gently, leaving a small claiming mark. She lifted her chin as he continued to kiss along her jaw, his lips finally claiming hers once more.
Keeping his full weight off her chest with his forearms pressed into the mattress on either side of her, his body covered hers from head to toe. His hands cupped either side of her head as they clung together, their tongues tangling and his cock pressing near her heat.
It had been so many years since he’d held this woman in his arms, but it was as though he could remember each time. First when they were fumbling teenagers, then later as young adults, eager for sex any time they could find the time and the place. The last time had been after Nathan’s funeral, with the storm raging outside and their desperate attempts to find comfort in each other’s arms, yearning to feel alive as they buried their sorrow.
And while the past moved through his mind, he was determined to make this time different. Older and wiser. More about pleasure and less about desperation. More about her and less about his own needs.
With his tongue emulating the sex act, he felt her hips pressing upward and his aching cock seeking relief. Wanting her to be ready for him, he kissed his way back down her body before settling his mouth on her sex. She gasped, and her hands flattened on the mattress, her fingertips digging into the sheets.
Holding her legs steady, he licked and sucked, the taste of her as intoxicating as he remembered so many years ago. His dad had once sat him and Nathan down, telling them that sex with the woman they loved was unlike sex with any other woman they would ever be with. At the time he’d rolled his eyes, but now the evidence was before him. He had loved Nora all those years ago, and now, with her again, it was unlike anyone else.
Before his thoughts could travel anywhere else, he sucked on her clit and she cried out, her short fingernails now lightly scraping over his scalp. He felt her come on his tongue and he continued to lap his fill as her legs slowly stopped quivering.
Lifting his head, he grinned as he kissed his way back up her body again, landing
on her lips. Kissing her hard, he let her taste her own unique essence and loved the moan that came from deep within her chest.
Their kiss slowed, and he lifted his head. “Babe, if we do nothing else today, believe me when I say I’m good.”
With her hands clutching onto his arms, she gasped, “Please, Tate, don’t stop now.”
Grinning, he reached his hand to the side where he had tossed his wallet earlier. Pulling out a condom, he ripped the foil with his teeth and leaned upward to roll it onto his cock. Settling back between the cradle of her thighs, he entered her slowly.
He closed his eyes and grit his teeth at the sensation of her tight warmth gripping his cock. Inch by inch, he slid further until he was finally seated to the hilt.
“Tate.”
Her voice was barely above a whisper, but he opened his eyes and stared at the sheer beauty lying under him. No longer full of doubt or hesitation, her smile and gaze radiated an emotion he was afraid to define but wanted to own. Sliding his nose along hers, he whispered, “What do you need, babe?”
“Take whatever you need, and in doing so, you give me what I desire. Just you.”
Her words scored through him, and his breath left him in a rush. Holding her gaze, he trusted her words and began moving, thrusting deeply. They quickly caught their rhythm, the ebb and flow of a mating dance that was as old as time, but right now, for them, fresh and new.
Her hips lifted to meet his, and he shifted his angle for maximum penetration. Her smile had left, replaced by a heated look of intense need, an expression he was sure was mirrored on his own face. Her legs widened as she wrapped her feet around his back, her heels digging into his ass.
He could tell he was not going to last and wanted her to come again. He leaned down and pulled her nipple into his mouth, nipping the bud before easing the sting with his tongue. While still thrusting, he shifted his weight slightly to the side and skimmed his hand from her breast over her tummy to her clit. She cried out, tightening around his cock and digging her fingernails into his back.
Tate (Lighthouse Security Investigations Book 6) Page 20