Wild & Sweet (The Haven Brotherhood)

by Rhenna Morgan

  Biting her lip, she scooted a whopping five inches closer.

  Zeke straightened away from the headboard, lowered one foot to the floor, and patted the space between his legs. “Here.”

  She studied the spot he’d indicated then peeked up at him.

  “Come on, gatinha. Show me the pictures.”

  Another scoot and her sweet ass was planted right where he wanted. He leaned in and splayed his hand between her shoulder blades, sliding it up and under her hair to the back of her neck. He nodded to the action shot of Pete on the screen. “I like that one. What would you do to it if you were going to work your magic?”

  “Umm...” She moved her finger along the track pad, but it trembled so hard it took her a few times to click on the icon she’d aimed for. Still, she kept after her task, punching buttons, clicking here and there, and dragging the cursor in all kinds of directions. The whole time, one of her legs bounced in a nervous jitter.

  The up-and-down glide of his thumb along her throat probably wasn’t helping, but damned if he could stop it. Her skin was too soft and warm not to indulge. Too tempting. God help him once he managed to get his lips and tongue in the same spot. He’d bet everything he had she tasted as exotic as her scent.

  “There,” she whispered.

  His mind semiscrambled out of his dirty thoughts. On the screen was the same photo, but sharper and bolder in color. The background had been altered to make the action look like something out of a sci-fi flick, but instead of drawing emphasis away from the player, it heightened the motion. “You made Pete look like a badass.”

  “It’s not much.” She coughed to clear the rasp in her throat and squeezed the edge of the computer. “I don’t normally work with pictures like this.”

  “For a first time with sports, I’d say you knocked it out of the park.” He covered her hand with his. “You’ve really got a gift for this.”

  “Thank you.” She still wouldn’t look at him, just saved the picture and opened another one.

  “Gatinha?”

  She furrowed her brow and twisted her head only enough to peek at him from the corner of her eye. “Yeah?’

  He swept her hair away from her neck and cupped the back of her head, urging her to face him. “Remember what I said about that kiss?”

  Her pale blue gaze locked onto his mouth and her lips parted, her shaky breath whispering across his face.

  “I want to give you that now. You okay with that?” God, he was an idiot for asking. How he would pull away if she’d said no wasn’t even something he wanted to contemplate. Not with her sweet, innocent sensuality shining on him.

  She dipped her chin in the tiniest nod and his cock jerked a celebratory high-five, pressing against his fly so hard circulation was a little sketchy.

  Slowly, he eased the computer off her lap and slid it on the nightstand. He leaned closer, running his nose alongside hers. Much as he wanted the taste of her on his tongue, there was no way he was rushing this moment. The anticipation was too good. Too heady. More so than any adrenaline rush or high-octane sport.

  He cupped the other side of her face, holding her firm as he murmured against her lips, “I’ve wanted to do this from the minute I saw you.” He gave in and pressed his mouth to hers, swallowing her surprised gasp.

  His hand fisted in her hair and he moaned. Christ, he was so screwed. One simple little kiss. One modest press of her lips and he was a goner. He licked the seam of her mouth, the barest trace of frosting from the last cupcake she’d snagged before they left exploding on his tongue.

  She opened for him and sighed, angling for more. Every touch, every caress was perfect. Unhurried and natural. From the wet glide of their mouths against one another, to the slick tangle of their tongues, there wasn’t a thing awkward about it.

  Twisting, she splayed one hand on his chest—and winced.

  Damn it, he’d forgotten about her ribs. He gripped her by her hips and pulled her astride him, easing their kiss enough to splay his hand along her injured side. “You okay?” God, he sounded like some dirty old man with a three-pack-a-day habit, and his lungs were working like he’d sprinted up about ten flights of stairs.

  “I’m good.” She ran her fingers along his jawline, nails playing in the scruff while her mouth brushed back and forth against his. “So good.”

  And then it was all her. Her hands, her mouth, her tongue devouring everything he gave her and demanding more. And God, was she hungry. More kittenish than ever before. Starved and eager for a warm bowl of cream and lapping it up before someone could take it away again.

  She tugged the hem of his shirt, angling to slide her hands underneath.

  He snagged her wrists, her pulse thrumming beneath his thumbs. He wanted her touch. Craved it. But he stood a snowball’s chance in hell of keeping things in check if that happened, and he needed her long-term trust more than short-term pleasure.

  She tugged her hands, trying to free them.

  “Easy,” he whispered against her mouth.

  As soon as the words were out, she locked up. “Did I do something wrong?”

  His mind hitched and tried to scramble back out of its kiss-induced haze. “Nothing’s wrong. Not even close to wrong.” Though the fact that she automatically jumped to that conclusion went a long way to answering a lot of unanswered questions, at least as far as her relationships with men were concerned. She might be shy on the uptake, but once the gate was open, she was a thoroughbred on a wide-open track. As aggressive as she’d been with that kiss, a lot of men might have been intimidated. Maybe put their shortcomings back on her.

  Not him. He had zero problem letting her take her fill when the time was right. That time just wasn’t today. Today she needed to know he’d not only keep up with her, but give her what she needed. “Lie down for me.”

  She eyed him from beneath lowered lids, suspicious and wary.

  “I’m not through kissing you, gatinha. You already hurt your ribs once, and I want to give you what you need without that happening again, so do what I asked and let me take care of you.”

  “Take care of me how?”

  “Lie down and find out.”

  For a second or two he thought she’d crawl off his lap and kick him out of the house. Given how revved his engine was, it was probably the smarter move, but instead she gingerly shifted and stretched out on the bed.

  He rolled to his side, propped on one elbow beside her, and coiled his hand around the side of her neck. Chest to chest, their legs tangled together as though they’d lain together a thousand times before. The only thing unnatural about it was the tension in her neck and torso. He smoothed his hand to her shoulder, down her arm, then pulled her hand to his lips. Skimming soft, barely there kisses across each knuckle, he smiled down at her. “Relax.” He pressed her hand to his chest then nudged a wayward strand of hair off her cheek. “There’s nothing I expect. Nothing for you to do except what feels good for you.”

  She swallowed hard, a trace of disbelief sharpening her gaze.

  He leaned in, inhaling her unique scent. “Stop thinking.” He kissed her. Soft, more of a whisper than a touch. “Turn your mind off and let go.” Another kiss, this one luring her pretty pink tongue out for a taste.

  Fuck, yes. Just like that.

  He took her mouth in one fierce claim, stroking her need with his own. Feeding her enthusiasm. Tongues, lips, teeth and touch, it all coalesced into one beautiful moment. Mindless and yet so profound it resonated through him like a living current.

  Beneath him, her body arched. Her nails bit into his shoulders and she ground her sex against his thigh. So responsive and open. Eager and guileless. He might not be willing to push things too far where his pleasure was concerned, but that didn’t mean hers had to go unattended.

  He nipped and kissed along her jawline, easing he
r T-shirt up and teasing his fingers along the smooth expanse of skin at her waistline. “Let me take care of you, sweetheart.” He scraped his teeth along the shell of her ear and smoothed his hand along her uninjured side. “Let me ease the ache.”

  A tiny mewl slipped free, and she bowed toward his touch, urging him for more.

  “Say yes.” He lifted his head and lightly skimmed fingertips along the underside of her breast through the soft cotton of her bra. “God, please say yes.”

  Her eyes opened, weighted and dazed with passion. Her answer came on a broken, shaky exhale that reverberated straight to his dick. “Yes.”

  Best. Answer. Ever.

  He palmed her breast and gently squeezed, lifting the full mound and rasping his thumb across the taught peek.

  Arching her neck, she let her eyes slip shut and speared her fingers in his hair, urging him closer. He shoved her T-shirt out of his way, tugged her bra down, and cupped her breast.

  His cock punched hard and demanding against his jeans, anxious for its turn to play.

  Not now. Not today. Today was about her. Fuck, the next several days needed to be about her if he wanted to build her trust. He ignored the building throb between his legs and rolled her berry-pink nipple between his thumb and finger.

  She squeezed her eyes shut tighter and whimpered.

  “I thought about this.” He plucked the tight bud and skimmed his lips along the swell of her breast. “Imagined it a thousand times since that first night.” He brushed the scruff on his chin against the tip. “Felt like a lech, but God I wanted to touch you like this. Tease you and take you in my mouth.”

  He did just that, drawing her nipple against his tongue and suckling deep as he plumped her other breast.

  “Zeke.” Christ, he could come just from the sound of his name on her lips alone. Raspy and grated, it was the sexiest sound he’d ever heard in his life. Both of her hands urged him for more, tugging his hair so hard it was all he could do not to roar.

  He shifted to the other breast, licking a lazy path along the way. She needed more, but no way in hell was he stopping for strategic work. “Pop the buttons on your jeans for me.”

  The steady undulations of her hips hitched and froze.

  Flicking his tongue along her untended nipple, he tweaked the one he’d left behind. “Don’t think. Just do.”

  Slowly, she uncoiled one hand from his hair and gripped the opening of her jeans. The button fly pop-pop-pop-popped open.

  “Perfect.” He nibbled the underside of her breast. “Now get that hand back where it was and hold on.” Before she could brace, he drew her nipple into his mouth and slid his hand down her belly, under her panties, and straight for the promised land.

  Holy hell, if he made it through getting her off without coming in his jeans, it would be the single most amazing feat of his life. He flicked the nub in his mouth, wishing like hell it was the one under his fingers. She was drenched. Slick and soft and begging for attention. With every stroke, her hips lifted in greeting, eager for more.

  He eased one finger inside her and her pussy fluttered and tightened. Lifting his head, he shifted upward, braced so he could watch her face. “Open your eyes.”

  She shook her head.

  “Oh, yes. I want to see the look on your face when you come on my fingers.” He set a rhythm, in and out, building in intensity. “Open them. Now.”

  He circled her clit with his thumb and her eyes snapped open.

  “That’s it.” He added a second finger and groaned at the way her sex gripped him. “So sweet. Wet and tight.”

  Her nails dug into his neck. “Please.”

  “Soon, gatinha.” He held her gaze and skimmed his lips against hers. “Soon, I’ll claim you right here.” He angled his wrist so his fingers grazed her sweet spot and pressed his thumb against her clit.

  Her eyes widened and her thighs squeezed his hand so tight he couldn’t have moved if he’d wanted to. Around his fingers, her pussy convulsed, sharp powerful contractions that made his cock jerk with need. God, she was beautiful. Vulnerable in the most unaffected way. Untainted by the trappings of so many women he knew. Oh, yeah. He’d claim her and tackle any demon she threw at him to keep her. To protect her.

  Bit by bit, the tension in her thighs eased, and her hips rolled in the same lazy rhythm as his fingers. She smoothed her fingertips along his jawline, playing with his beard in a way that made him silently vow he’d never, ever shave the stuff. The look on her face was pure wonder, the pink on her cheeks utterly adorable.

  He kissed her, slow and languid, further easing her from the peak. “Still think what you saw on TV the other night doesn’t exist?”

  She gasped and jerked deeper into the pillow. “You remembered that?”

  “I remember every second of that night, especially the part where you got hot and bothered.” He eased his hand from between her legs, held his hand between them so she couldn’t miss the release coating his fingers, and licked.

  Her jaw dropped, but her gaze didn’t budge from his fingers until he’d finished off the last bit.

  “That surprise you?” he said.

  She nodded. She also looked like she was primed for round two. With her hair mussed and her clothes rumpled, it was all he could do not to give her exactly that.

  “Then let me warn you up front. The next time you come, I won’t be tasting it off my fingers.” He kissed her again, righting her bra and tugging her T-shirt back down to her waist as he murmured against her lips. “From the taste I just got, I’d say you should be prepared to settle in for a long meal.” He rolled away and stood beside the bed before he could change his mind and take advantage of her admitted shock. “Walk me to the door, gatinha.”

  She blinked, frowned, and glanced at the door. “You’re leaving? But you didn’t...” Her eyes went wide and she popped straight up in bed. “You said nothing was wrong.”

  Ah, hell. He should have seen that one coming a mile away. Probably one of many reasons he shouldn’t have let things go as far as they did, even if it was one of the most bewitching moments of his life. “Easy, querida.” He sat beside her and pulled her against him. “The last thing I want to do is leave you. Not with you all sex-kitten-cozy and primed for me. But, I start an all-nighter in two hours, and there’s no way I’m rushing my first time with you.”

  With her cheek tucked tight above his heart, he couldn’t see her relief, but felt her torso tremble on a shaky exhalation. “Sorry. It’s a habit.”

  He eased her away and tilted her face to his. “Never apologize to me for being who you are. Ever.”

  Above his heart, her hand opened and closed in a loose fist. “Aren’t you...well, you didn’t...you know.”

  God, she was sweet. The first second he was confident she could trust him, he was going to sex her up and wallow for days in her sugary goodness. “Sex isn’t tit for tat. And just because I didn’t get off doesn’t mean I’m walking away empty-handed. The look on your face when you came on my fingers? I’m gonna be wired all night with that image burned in my brain.” He kissed the top of her head and stood. “Now, come on. Walk me to the door.”

  He ambled down the hallway and prayed she’d follow him. Yeah, he’d meant what he said, but that didn’t mean his cock was good with his noble intentions. Another minute or two spying her creamy skin still exposed behind her open button fly and his resolve would be good and fucked.

  Thankfully, her soft footfalls sounded behind him. He opened the front door, turned and hooked an arm around her waist. “You want me to call you when I get off work at seven? Or wait until after I get a few hours’ sleep?”

  For some reason, the question seemed to surprise her, her head cocking to one side as though it hit her out of the blue. “Before you go to sleep.”

  Perfect. That meant he’d have less ti
me waiting to hear how things went after he left. It also probably meant her voice on the phone would have him stroking one off before he went to sleep. “All right. Before lights out it is.” He ducked close for a slow, but soft kiss. “Thank you for a good day.”

  He was halfway out the door before her voice drew him to a halt.

  “Wait!”

  Before he could fully turn, she was in his arms, her hands around his neck and urging him down for a much longer, more thorough kiss. She pulled away slowly, uncertainty and regret pinching the corners of her eyes. “I’ve never had a day like today. A date like today. Thank you.”

  He chuckled and covered her hand at his chest, lifting it to his mouth. “I knew there’d be wild underneath all that sweet.” He nipped her knuckles. “Eu já sinto saudades.”

  Reluctantly, he pulled away and opened the screen door.

  “What’s that mean?” she said, following behind him and propping the door open with her shoulder.

  He winked before he turned for his car. “It means ‘I miss you already.’”

  Chapter Thirteen

  Ding. Ding. Ding.

  The annoying techno chimes pierced through Gabe’s deep sleep and upset the otherwise quiet morning. Stretched out on her uninjured side, she hugged her pillow tighter and sucked in a deep, contented breath. Zeke’s lingering scent filled her lungs, wisps of memories from the night before mingling with her warm cocoon and dreams she couldn’t bear to let go of.

  Ding. Ding. Ding.

  Her mind inched a little closer toward consciousness, a soft sunrise glow peeking through her barely cracked blinds. It wasn’t a workday, was it? No, it was Sunday. Who the heck called first thing in the morning on a weekend?

  You want me to call you when I get off work at seven? Or wait until after I get a few hours’ sleep?

  Zeke.

  She jerked upright up and her ribs kicked a brutal protest. Powering through the pain, she grappled for her phone and swiped the answer button. “Hello?”